Learn by grammar function
Vietnamese Time and Aspect
Express completion, progress, plans, experience, and event sequence.
đã
already
'đã' is commonly used to indicate that an action has already happened.
Tôi đã ăn cơm.
I have already eaten.
đang
currently (in progress)
'đang' is commonly used to indicate an action is currently in progress.
Tôi đang học tiếng Việt.
I am studying Vietnamese.
sẽ
will (future tense)
'sẽ' is commonly used to indicate future actions or events.
Ngày mai tôi sẽ đi Hà Nội.
I will go to Hanoi tomorrow.
trước khi
before
'trước khi' is commonly used to express 'before', a structure English speakers should prioritize learning.
Rửa tay trước khi ăn.
Wash your hands before eating.
sau khi
after
'sau khi' is commonly used to express 'after', a structure English speakers should prioritize learning.
Uống thuốc sau khi ăn.
Take medicine after eating.
trong khi
while; however
'trong khi' is commonly used to express 'while' or 'however', a structure English speakers should prioritize learning.
Trong khi tôi nấu ăn, anh ấy dọn bàn.
While I cook, he sets the table.
từ khi
since
'từ khi' is commonly used to express 'since', a structure English speakers should prioritize learning.
Từ khi học tiếng Việt, tôi hiểu văn hóa Việt hơn.
Since learning Vietnamese, I understand Vietnamese culture better.
sắp sửa
about to; soon going to
'sắp sửa' indicates that an action is about to happen, with a slightly more complete sense than 'sắp.'
Tôi sắp sửa thi tiếng Việt.
I'm about to take the Vietnamese exam.
mới vừa
just now; just recently
'mới vừa' means something has just happened, with a sense of 'just now.'
Tôi mới vừa học xong bài này.
I just finished this lesson.
đã ... rồi
already ...
'đã ... rồi' marks both that something has happened and that it is completed or has changed, similar to 'already ...' in English.
Tôi đã ăn cơm rồi.
I have already eaten.
vẫn đang
still (in the process of)
'vẫn đang' shows that an action is still ongoing up to the present moment.
Tôi vẫn đang học bài này.
I'm still studying this lesson.
lâu rồi
a long time ago; for a long time
Lâu rồi indicates that a state or event has lasted for a long time.
Lâu rồi tôi chưa học lại cấu trúc này.
I haven't reviewed this structure for a long time.
chưa bao giờ
never; not ever
'chưa bao giờ' means that something has never happened up to now.
Tôi chưa bao giờ học cấu trúc này.
I have never studied this structure.
đã bao giờ
have ever ...?; ever ...?
'đã bao giờ' is used to ask if someone has ever had a certain experience.
Bạn đã bao giờ học tiếng Việt chưa?
Have you ever studied Vietnamese?
mới đây
recently; not long ago
'mới đây' indicates something that happened recently, usually already completed.
Mới đây, tôi học được cách dùng nhé.
Recently, I learned how to use 'nhé'.
từ trước đến nay
all along; from before until now
'từ trước đến nay' means something has been the case continuously from the past until now.
Từ trước đến nay, tôi luôn nhầm mà với nhưng.
All along, I have always confused 'mà' with 'nhưng'.
đang định
currently planning; about to
'đang định' indicates that someone is currently planning or preparing to do something.
Tôi đang định hỏi giáo viên câu này.
I am currently planning to ask the teacher this question.
rồi
already; (completed action marker)
'rồi' is usually placed at the end of a sentence to indicate that an action has already happened or a state has changed.
Tôi ăn cơm rồi.
I have eaten already.
từng
once; have had the experience of
'từng' indicates that someone has had a past experience, emphasizing 'have done before'.
Tôi từng học tiếng Anh.
I have studied English before.
đã từng
have once; have had the experience of
'đã từng' expresses 'have done before', more explicitly marking past experience than 'từng' alone.
Tôi đã từng sống ở Việt Nam.
I have lived in Vietnam before.
chưa từng
never; have never had the experience of
'chưa từng' means 'have never experienced' something up to now.
Tôi chưa từng ăn món này.
I have never eaten this dish.
vừa mới
just now; just recently
'vừa mới' indicates an action that happened very recently, stronger than 'vừa' or 'mới' alone.
Tôi vừa mới về nhà.
I just got home.
mới
just; only
'mới' can indicate an action just happened or express 'only' in terms of quantity or time.
Tôi mới học tiếng Việt được ba tháng.
I have only studied Vietnamese for three months.
sắp
about to; soon to
'sắp' indicates that something is going to happen very soon, closer to the present than 'sẽ'.
Trời sắp mưa.
It is about to rain.
định
intend to; plan to
'định' expresses the speaker's intention or plan, focusing on the plan rather than certainty of occurrence.
Tôi định học tiếng Việt vào cuối tuần.
I plan to study Vietnamese this weekend.
vẫn
still; yet
'vẫn' indicates continuation of a state or action, meaning 'still' or 'yet'.
Tôi vẫn học tiếng Việt mỗi ngày.
I still study Vietnamese every day.
đang còn
still; there is still
'đang còn' indicates that a state currently continues to exist, often with the sense of 'still' or 'there is still'.
Anh ấy đang còn làm việc ở văn phòng.
He is still working in the office.
mỗi khi
whenever; every time
'mỗi khi' indicates that whenever one situation occurs, another usually happens as well.
Mỗi khi trời mưa, tôi nhớ quê nhà.
Whenever it rains, I think of my hometown.
cho đến khi
until
'cho đến khi' indicates that a state or action continues up to a certain time or event.
Tôi chờ cho đến khi anh ấy đến.
I waited until he arrived.