Vietnamese 'tận' Usage (Expressing 'As far as', 'As long as', or 'As many as')
'tận' emphasizes a great distance, long time, or large quantity, similar to English expressions like 'as far as', 'as many as', or 'even up to'.
Quick explanation
Quick explanation
'tận' emphasizes a great distance, long time, or large quantity, similar to English expressions like 'as far as', 'as many as', or 'even up to'.
English meanings
- As far as
- As many as
- Even up to
Grammar pattern
Examples
1
Anh ấy đi tận Hà Nội để gặp bạn.
He went all the way to Hanoi to meet a friend.
2
Tôi chờ tận ba tiếng.
I waited for as long as three hours.
How to use it
'tận' carries a sense of exceeding expectations and is commonly used with places, time, or quantities. For example, 'tận Hà Nội' means 'as far as Hanoi', and 'tận ba tiếng' means 'as long as three hours'.
- Emphasizes distance, time, or quantity beyond expectations.
- Placed before the emphasized element.
- Has a strong tone, not suitable for neutral statements.
Compared with English
Compared with English
English uses phrases like 'even up to', 'as far as', or 'as many as' to express exceeding expectations; Vietnamese uses 'tận' placed before the emphasized element.
Common mistakes
Tôi tận chờ ba tiếng.
Tôi chờ tận ba tiếng.
'tận' should be placed before the emphasized quantity 'ba tiếng'.
Tôi sống tận gần đây.
Tôi sống gần đây.
'tận' is inappropriate for nearby locations.
Commonly confused grammar
Practice
Multiple choice
Which sentence means "I waited for as long as three hours."?
Show answer
Multiple choice
Which sentence means "I waited for as long as three hours."?
- Tôi chờ tận ba tiếng.
- Tôi tận chờ ba tiếng.
- Tận tôi chờ ba tiếng.
Answer: Tôi chờ tận ba tiếng.
Explanation: 'tận' is placed before the emphasized quantity.
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Anh ấy đi ____ Hà Nội để gặp bạn.
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Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Anh ấy đi ____ Hà Nội để gặp bạn.
Answer: Anh ấy đi tận Hà Nội để gặp bạn.
Explanation: Emphasizes distance, time, or quantity beyond expectations.
English to Vietnamese
Translate "He went all the way to Hanoi to meet a friend." into Vietnamese.
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English to Vietnamese
Translate "He went all the way to Hanoi to meet a friend." into Vietnamese.
Answer: Anh ấy đi tận Hà Nội để gặp bạn.
Explanation: Use tận in the same structure as the example.
True or false
Is this sentence correct? Tôi tận chờ ba tiếng.
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True or false
Is this sentence correct? Tôi tận chờ ba tiếng.
Answer: False
Explanation: 'tận' should be placed before the emphasized quantity 'ba tiếng'.
Correction
Correct this sentence: Tôi tận chờ ba tiếng.
Show answer
Correction
Correct this sentence: Tôi tận chờ ba tiếng.
Answer: Tôi chờ tận ba tiếng.
Explanation: 'tận' modifies 'ba tiếng', so it should precede it.