Vietnamese 'chẳng' Usage (Not / Not At All)
'chẳng' is a more colloquial or emotive negation often conveying 'not at all' or 'absolutely not'.
Quick explanation
Quick explanation
'chẳng' is a more colloquial or emotive negation often conveying 'not at all' or 'absolutely not'.
English meanings
- not
- not at all
Grammar pattern
Examples
1
Tôi chẳng hiểu gì cả.
I don't understand at all.
2
Anh ấy chẳng nói gì.
He didn't say anything.
How to use it
'chẳng' and 'không' both negate, but 'chẳng' carries more emotion, often expressing disappointment, contradiction, casualness, or emphasis. It appears in fixed phrases like 'chẳng lẽ'. Beginners should first master 'không' before learning the nuances of 'chẳng'.
- 'chẳng' is common in colloquial or emotional sentences.
- Often paired with 'gì cả' to emphasize total negation.
- Use 'không' for formal or neutral statements.
Compared with English
Compared with English
In English, 'not' can be neutral or emotional; Vietnamese 'chẳng' usually has stronger emotion or colloquial tone than 'không'.
Common mistakes
Tôi chẳng là sinh viên.
Tôi không phải là sinh viên.
Negating identity uses 'không phải', not 'chẳng là'.
Tôi chẳng uống cà phê.
Tôi không uống cà phê.
Use 'không' for formal or neutral negation.
Commonly confused grammar
Practice
Multiple choice
Which sentence conveys 'I don't understand at all' with emotional tone?
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Multiple choice
Which sentence conveys 'I don't understand at all' with emotional tone?
- Tôi chẳng hiểu gì cả.
- Tôi chẳng là sinh viên.
- Tôi chưa là sinh viên.
Answer: Tôi chẳng hiểu gì cả.
Explanation: 'chẳng ... gì cả' expresses strong colloquial negation.
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi ____ hiểu gì cả.
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Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi ____ hiểu gì cả.
Answer: Tôi chẳng hiểu gì cả.
Explanation: 'chẳng' is common in colloquial or emotional sentences.
English to Vietnamese
Translate "I don't understand at all." into Vietnamese.
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English to Vietnamese
Translate "I don't understand at all." into Vietnamese.
Answer: Tôi chẳng hiểu gì cả.
Explanation: Use chẳng in the same structure as the example.
True or false
'chẳng' can be used exactly like the English 'not'.
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True or false
'chẳng' can be used exactly like the English 'not'.
Answer: False
Explanation: Vietnamese negation depends on what is negated: action, identity, completion, ability, necessity, or command.
Correction
Correct this sentence: Tôi chẳng là sinh viên.
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Correction
Correct this sentence: Tôi chẳng là sinh viên.
Answer: Tôi không phải là sinh viên.
Explanation: Negating identity uses 'không phải là'.