Vietnamese lắm Usage (Very/Extremely)
lắm is commonly used to mean "very" or "extremely" and is an essential Vietnamese structure for learners.
Quick explanation
Quick explanation
lắm is commonly used to mean "very" or "extremely" and is an essential Vietnamese structure for learners.
English meanings
- very
- extremely
Grammar pattern
Examples
1
Cô ấy đẹp lắm.
She is very beautiful.
2
Tôi thích món này lắm.
I like this dish very much.
How to use it
lắm is placed after adjectives or verb phrases to indicate a high degree. It is common in spoken language and sounds more natural and intimate than rất.
- The basic structure is adjective + lắm.
- Common in spoken compliments or strong liking.
- In negation, không ... lắm means "not very...".
Compared with English
Compared with English
In English, "very" is placed before adjectives; in Vietnamese, lắm comes after, e.g., tốt lắm means "very good," not lắm tốt.
Common mistakes
Cô ấy lắm đẹp.
Cô ấy đẹp lắm.
lắm must be placed after the adjective.
Tôi không thích lắm món này.
Tôi không thích món này lắm.
In không ... lắm, lắm usually follows the evaluated content.
Commonly confused grammar
Practice
Multiple choice
Where is lắm usually placed?
Show answer
Multiple choice
Where is lắm usually placed?
- After adjectives or verb phrases
- Before the subject
- Only at the beginning of sentences
Answer: After adjectives or verb phrases
Explanation: đẹp lắm and thích lắm are common spoken structures.
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Cô ấy đẹp ____.
Show answer
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Cô ấy đẹp ____.
Answer: Cô ấy đẹp lắm.
Explanation: The basic structure is adjective + lắm.
English to Vietnamese
Translate "She is very beautiful." into Vietnamese.
Show answer
English to Vietnamese
Translate "She is very beautiful." into Vietnamese.
Answer: Cô ấy đẹp lắm.
Explanation: Use lắm in the same structure as the example.
True or false
Is this sentence correct? Cô ấy lắm đẹp.
Show answer
True or false
Is this sentence correct? Cô ấy lắm đẹp.
Answer: False
Explanation: lắm must be placed after the adjective.
Correction
Correct this sentence: Món này lắm ngon.
Show answer
Correction
Correct this sentence: Món này lắm ngon.
Answer: Món này ngon lắm.
Explanation: lắm is placed after the adjective ngon.