Vietnamese đã/đang/sẽ + verb word order (aspect markers before the verb)
Vietnamese aspect markers đã, đang, and sẽ usually come before the verb to indicate past, ongoing, or future actions.
Quick explanation
Quick explanation
Vietnamese aspect markers đã, đang, and sẽ usually come before the verb to indicate past, ongoing, or future actions.
English meanings
- Aspect markers before the verb
Grammar pattern
Examples
1
Tôi đã ăn cơm.
I have eaten.
2
Cô ấy đang học tiếng Việt.
She is studying Vietnamese.
How to use it
Vietnamese uses aspect markers before the verb: đã (past), đang (progressive), and sẽ (future). For example, Tôi đã ăn cơm ('I have eaten'), Cô ấy đang học tiếng Việt ('She is studying Vietnamese'). In English, tense is shown by changing the verb, but in Vietnamese, these markers are placed before the verb. Do not put đã at the end of the sentence as in English.
- đã, đang, and sẽ are placed before the main verb.
- They can be omitted if the context is clear.
- Do not use them as sentence-final particles like in English.
Compared with English
Compared with English
English uses verb tense ('I ate', 'I am eating', 'I will eat'). Vietnamese uses aspect markers before the verb: đã, đang, sẽ.
Common mistakes
Tôi ăn cơm đã.
Tôi đã ăn cơm.
đã should come before the verb ăn.
Cô ấy học đang tiếng Việt.
Cô ấy đang học tiếng Việt.
đang should come before the main verb học.
Commonly confused grammar
Practice
Multiple choice
Which sentence means 'I have eaten'?
Show answer
Multiple choice
Which sentence means 'I have eaten'?
- Tôi đã ăn cơm.
- Tôi ăn cơm đã.
- Tôi cơm đã ăn.
Answer: Tôi đã ăn cơm.
Explanation: đã comes before the verb ăn.
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi ____ ăn cơm.
Show answer
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi ____ ăn cơm.
Answer: Tôi đã ăn cơm.
Explanation: đã, đang, and sẽ come before the main verb.
English to Vietnamese
Translate "I have eaten." into Vietnamese.
Show answer
English to Vietnamese
Translate "I have eaten." into Vietnamese.
Answer: Tôi đã ăn cơm.
Explanation: Use đã/đang/sẽ + V in the same structure as the example.
True or false
Vietnamese aspect markers can always follow English word order.
Show answer
True or false
Vietnamese aspect markers can always follow English word order.
Answer: False
Explanation: Vietnamese has its own word order for aspect markers, often different from English.
Correction
Correct this sentence: Cô ấy học đang tiếng Việt.
Show answer
Correction
Correct this sentence: Cô ấy học đang tiếng Việt.
Answer: Cô ấy đang học tiếng Việt.
Explanation: đang should come before the main verb học.