Vietnamese particle hết usage (finish/run out/all)
Hết indicates something is completely done, used up, or no longer available.
Quick explanation
Quick explanation
Hết indicates something is completely done, used up, or no longer available.
English meanings
- finish
- run out
- all
Grammar pattern
Examples
1
Tôi ăn hết cơm rồi.
I finished eating the rice.
2
Hết cà phê rồi.
The coffee is all gone.
How to use it
Hết can be a result complement showing the action covers everything; it can also indicate something is used up, sold out, or gone.
- Indicates complete completion of an action.
- Can express something is used up or no longer available.
- Often used with rồi to indicate completed state.
Compared with English
Compared with English
In English, 'finish', 'all gone', or 'all' correspond to hết, but its position in the sentence is important.
Common mistakes
Tôi ăn cơm hết rồi.
Tôi ăn hết cơm rồi.
To emphasize finishing all, hết is placed after the verb and before the object.
Cà phê hết có rồi.
Hết cà phê rồi.
To say something is gone, use hết + noun + rồi.
Commonly confused grammar
Practice
Multiple choice
Which sentence correctly uses hết?
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Multiple choice
Which sentence correctly uses hết?
- Tôi ăn hết cơm rồi.
- Tôi ăn cơm hết rồi.
- Cà phê hết có rồi.
Answer: Tôi ăn hết cơm rồi.
Explanation: Hết indicates complete completion of an action.
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi ăn ____ cơm rồi.
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Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi ăn ____ cơm rồi.
Answer: Tôi ăn hết cơm rồi.
Explanation: Hết indicates complete completion of an action.
English to Vietnamese
Translate "I finished eating the rice." into Vietnamese.
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English to Vietnamese
Translate "I finished eating the rice." into Vietnamese.
Answer: Tôi ăn hết cơm rồi.
Explanation: Use hết in the same structure as the example.
True or false
If there is no obvious corresponding word in English, hết can be omitted.
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True or false
If there is no obvious corresponding word in English, hết can be omitted.
Answer: False
Explanation: Many Vietnamese particles and complements change the result or tone of an action; omitting them can make the meaning incomplete.
Correction
Correct this sentence: Tôi ăn cơm hết rồi.
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Correction
Correct this sentence: Tôi ăn cơm hết rồi.
Answer: Tôi ăn hết cơm rồi.
Explanation: To emphasize finishing all, hết is placed after the verb and before the object.