LinguaThree rules from this unit
First: the verb has one shape, and the sentence runs subject, verb, object. Second: không and chưa go straight in front of the verb – không as a flat no, chưa as not yet. Third: a frequency word takes that very same place, while mỗi ngày waits until the end of the sentence.
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| subject + verb + object | Em học tiếng Việt. | I study Vietnamese. |
| subject + không + verb | Em không học tiếng Việt. | I do not study Vietnamese. |
| subject + chưa + verb | Em chưa học tiếng Việt. | I do not study Vietnamese yet. |
| subject + frequency word + verb | Em thường học tiếng Việt. | I usually study Vietnamese. |
| whole sentence + mỗi ngày | Em học tiếng Việt mỗi ngày. | I study Vietnamese every day. |
không or chưa?
Ask yourself whether anyone is still waiting for the thing to happen. If nobody is, it is a flat no. If the thing is simply still ahead, it is the not yet word – and adding bao giờ after it gives not once so far.
Em không thích cà phê.I do not like coffee.
Em chưa uống cà phê.I have not had coffee yet.
One slot, one word
The place between the subject and the verb holds exactly one thing: a negative word or a frequency word, never both and never two of either. Everything about time – mỗi ngày and the phrases of the next unit – lives outside that place, at the end of the sentence or at its very start.
Words in this lesson
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ăn | to eat | Anh ấy ăn cơm ở đây. He eats here. |
| uống | to drink | Chị ấy uống cà phê mỗi ngày. She drinks coffee every day. |
| đi | to go | Mẹ tôi đi làm mỗi ngày. My mother goes to work every day. |
| làm việc | to work | Bố tôi không làm việc ở nhà. My father does not work at home. |
| học | to study | Con trai tôi học ở nhà. My son studies at home. |
| ngủ | to sleep | Em thường ngủ ở nhà. I usually sleep at home. |
| không | not | Chị ấy không bận. She is not busy. |
| chưa | not yet | Bố tôi chưa ăn cơm. My father has not eaten yet. |
| thường | usually | Chị ấy thường uống cà phê. She usually drinks coffee. |
| mỗi ngày | every day | Tôi học tiếng Việt mỗi ngày. I study Vietnamese every day. |
Exercises
This lesson has 11 exercises in the app:
- multiple choice: 4
- match the pairs: 1
- fill the gap: 2
- build the sentence: 1
- translate the sentence: 2
- listen and type: 1
Try the first one
Which sentence is built correctly?
The answer, the other exercises, the audio and your progress are in the app – free at A0 and A1.