On the street
She answered you politely and kept walking, or gave you one word and looked away.
How to say “Have a good day” in Vietnamese
Chúc em một ngày vui
chook em mot ngay vooy
Rough sound, not the tones. Short sentence, and smile.
literally: I wish you a happy day
Why it works
This is the line that makes the whole thing safe to attempt. It ends the exchange warmly, on your initiative, before she has to work out how to escape it, and it leaves her with a pleasant thirty seconds rather than a story about a foreigner who wouldn't stop. Say it, smile, and turn.
Careful
It only counts if you actually leave. Saying goodbye and then adding one more question is worse than never saying it, because you have shown her that your exits are fake. If she is older than you, `Chúc chị một ngày vui`.
What she says back
- Anh cũng vậy nhaShe's curious
You too
→ Warm, but still a goodbye. Go. If you meet her again, you start from a good memory.
- Ơ, anh đi luôn hả?Green light
Oh, you're leaving already?
→ She's holding you. Stay, and now you can ask her name.
- DạCould go either way
Mm.
→ Correct outcome. Turn and walk, no last look back.