Vietnamese cũng + Verb/Adjective Usage (Position of 'also')
'cũng' + Verb/Adjective means 'also' and is usually placed before the verb or adjective.
Quick explanation
Quick explanation
'cũng' + Verb/Adjective means 'also' and is usually placed before the verb or adjective.
English meanings
- Position of 'also'
Grammar pattern
Examples
1
Tôi cũng học tiếng Việt.
I also study Vietnamese.
2
Cô ấy cũng thích cà phê.
She also likes coffee.
How to use it
In Vietnamese, 'cũng' functions similarly to the English 'also' and is typically placed before the verb or adjective it modifies. Unlike some languages where the equivalent of 'also' might appear at the end of a sentence or after a noun, in Vietnamese, 'cũng' precedes the verb or adjective. For example, 'Tôi cũng học tiếng Việt' means 'I also study Vietnamese.' Placing 'cũng' at the end of the sentence or after the noun is unnatural in Vietnamese.
- 'cũng' is placed before the verb or adjective that is being compared or added.
- In negative sentences, 'cũng không' is commonly used.
- Placing 'cũng' at the end of a sentence is usually unnatural.
Compared with English
Compared with English
The English sentence 'I also study Vietnamese' corresponds closely to the Vietnamese 'Tôi cũng học tiếng Việt,' where 'also' precedes the verb. Saying 'Tôi học tiếng Việt cũng' would be unnatural, just as 'I study Vietnamese also' is less common in English.
Common mistakes
Tôi học tiếng Việt cũng.
Tôi cũng học tiếng Việt.
'cũng' should be placed before the verb 'học'.
Cô ấy thích cũng cà phê.
Cô ấy cũng thích cà phê.
'cũng' should be placed before the entire predicate 'thích cà phê'.
Commonly confused grammar
Practice
Multiple choice
Which sentence means 'I also study Vietnamese'?
Show answer
Multiple choice
Which sentence means 'I also study Vietnamese'?
- Tôi cũng học tiếng Việt.
- Tôi học tiếng Việt cũng.
- Tôi học cũng tiếng Việt.
Answer: Tôi cũng học tiếng Việt.
Explanation: 'cũng' is placed before the verb 'học'.
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi ____ học tiếng Việt.
Show answer
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi ____ học tiếng Việt.
Answer: Tôi cũng học tiếng Việt.
Explanation: 'cũng' is placed before the verb or adjective that is being compared or added.
English to Vietnamese
Translate "I also study Vietnamese." into Vietnamese.
Show answer
English to Vietnamese
Translate "I also study Vietnamese." into Vietnamese.
Answer: Tôi cũng học tiếng Việt.
Explanation: Use cũng + V/Adj in the same structure as the example.
True or false
'cũng' + Verb/Adjective can follow English word order exactly.
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True or false
'cũng' + Verb/Adjective can follow English word order exactly.
Answer: False
Explanation: Vietnamese has its own word order rules that often differ from English.
Correction
Correct this sentence: Tôi học tiếng Việt cũng.
Show answer
Correction
Correct this sentence: Tôi học tiếng Việt cũng.
Answer: Tôi cũng học tiếng Việt.
Explanation: 'cũng' should not be placed at the end of the sentence to mean 'also'.