Vietnamese 'không bao giờ' Usage (Never / Not Ever)
'không bao giờ' means 'never' or 'not ever', negating frequency.
Quick explanation
Quick explanation
'không bao giờ' means 'never' or 'not ever', negating frequency.
English meanings
- never
- not ever
Grammar pattern
Examples
1
Tôi không bao giờ uống rượu.
I never drink alcohol.
2
Cô ấy không bao giờ đi muộn.
She is never late.
How to use it
'không bao giờ' is stronger than 'không', indicating that something never happens or will never be done. It is often used for habits, attitudes, promises, or strong negations.
- Use 'không bao giờ' to indicate zero frequency.
- It has a stronger tone than 'không'.
- Do not use it to say you are not doing something just today.
Compared with English
Compared with English
In English, 'not' and 'never' differ in strength; Vietnamese does not use 'không' alone to express all frequency negations.
Common mistakes
Hôm nay tôi không bao giờ đi làm.
Hôm nay tôi không đi làm.
Saying you are not going to work today does not require 'never'.
Tôi bao giờ không uống rượu.
Tôi không bao giờ uống rượu.
'không bao giờ' is a fixed phrase placed before the verb.
Commonly confused grammar
Practice
Multiple choice
Which sentence means 'I never drink alcohol'?
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Multiple choice
Which sentence means 'I never drink alcohol'?
- Tôi không bao giờ uống rượu.
- Tôi chưa uống rượu.
- Hôm nay tôi không bao giờ uống rượu.
Answer: Tôi không bao giờ uống rượu.
Explanation: 'không bao giờ' expresses zero frequency.
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi ____ uống rượu.
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Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi ____ uống rượu.
Answer: Tôi không bao giờ uống rượu.
Explanation: Use 'không bao giờ' to indicate zero frequency.
English to Vietnamese
Translate "I never drink alcohol." into Vietnamese.
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English to Vietnamese
Translate "I never drink alcohol." into Vietnamese.
Answer: Tôi không bao giờ uống rượu.
Explanation: Use không bao giờ in the same structure as the example.
True or false
'không bao giờ' can be used exactly like the English 'not'.
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True or false
'không bao giờ' 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 bao giờ không uống rượu.
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Correction
Correct this sentence: Tôi bao giờ không uống rượu.
Answer: Tôi không bao giờ uống rượu.
Explanation: 'không bao giờ' is a fixed phrase placed before the verb.