Vietnamese verb + ở/đến + place word order (place after the verb)
In Vietnamese, place phrases usually come after the verb and preposition, such as sống ở Hà Nội ('live in Hanoi') or đi đến trường ('go to school').
Quick explanation
Quick explanation
In Vietnamese, place phrases usually come after the verb and preposition, such as sống ở Hà Nội ('live in Hanoi') or đi đến trường ('go to school').
English meanings
- Place after the verb
Grammar pattern
Examples
1
Tôi làm việc ở Hà Nội.
I work in Hanoi.
2
Cô ấy đi đến trường.
She goes to school.
How to use it
In Vietnamese, to express where someone lives, works, or goes, the place phrase comes after the verb and preposition. For example, Tôi làm việc ở Hà Nội ('I work in Hanoi'), Cô ấy đi đến trường ('She goes to school'). This is different from English, where place phrases can sometimes come before the verb.
- ở indicates location and usually comes after the verb or state.
- đến indicates destination.
- Do not put ở + place between the subject and verb.
Compared with English
Compared with English
In English, 'I work in Hanoi' and 'In Hanoi, I work' are both possible. In Vietnamese, the place phrase usually comes after the verb: Tôi làm việc ở Hà Nội.
Common mistakes
Tôi ở Hà Nội làm việc.
Tôi làm việc ở Hà Nội.
For workplace, ở Hà Nội should come after làm việc.
Cô ấy đến trường đi.
Cô ấy đi đến trường.
The destination đến trường should follow the verb đi.
Commonly confused grammar
Practice
Multiple choice
Which sentence most naturally means 'I work in Hanoi'?
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Multiple choice
Which sentence most naturally means 'I work in Hanoi'?
- Tôi làm việc ở Hà Nội.
- Tôi ở Hà Nội làm việc.
- Ở Hà Nội tôi việc làm.
Answer: Tôi làm việc ở Hà Nội.
Explanation: The place of work should come after làm việc.
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi làm việc ____.
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Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi làm việc ____.
Answer: Tôi làm việc ở Hà Nội.
Explanation: ở indicates location and comes after the verb.
English to Vietnamese
Translate "I work in Hanoi." into Vietnamese.
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English to Vietnamese
Translate "I work in Hanoi." into Vietnamese.
Answer: Tôi làm việc ở Hà Nội.
Explanation: Use V + ở/đến + địa điểm in the same structure as the example.
True or false
Vietnamese place phrases can always follow English word order.
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True or false
Vietnamese place phrases can always follow English word order.
Answer: False
Explanation: Vietnamese has its own word order for place phrases, often different from English.
Correction
Correct this sentence: Cô ấy đến trường đi.
Show answer
Correction
Correct this sentence: Cô ấy đến trường đi.
Answer: Cô ấy đi đến trường.
Explanation: đi is the verb, đến trường is the destination.