Dead giveaway that you're a beginning Vietnamese language learner is using the verb "to go" when talking about travel to Hanoi or HCMC.
No... the Vietnamese have a specific pair of verbs they use when talking about visiting one of Vietnam's two biggest cities...
Jul 30, 2025 07:17"To go" is "đi", but we don't "đi Sài Gòn" and we don't "đi Hà Nội" – no, instead we:
Ra Hà Nội (go "out" to Hanoi)
Vào Sài Gòn (go "into" Saigon)
If you want to sound like a native, this is how you have to say it. Most frequently used when talking about travel *between* the two cities.
I thought this was like the coolest thing when I first learned it. Even though it's so simple.
