1. Grammar Guide
  2. Vietnamese
  3. Adverbs

Adverbs

Adverbs

Adverbs in Vietnamese are crucial for modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing additional information such as how, when, where, and to what extent an action is performed or a characteristic is expressed. The flexibility and simplicity of Vietnamese adverbs make them approachable and easy to use once you have the vocabulary you need. Let's explore the use of adverbs in Vietnamese, focusing on their placement in sentences, types, and some common examples.

Placement in Sentences

Vietnamese adverbs are quite flexible in terms of placement, but they typically appear before the verb or adjective they modify. This is somewhat similar to English, but there are instances where adverbs might come after the verb for emphasis or stylistic reasons.

  • "Tôi chạy nhanh." (I run fast.) - Here, "nhanh" (fast) modifies the verb "chạy" (run).

Types of Adverbs

Adverbs in Vietnamese can be categorized into several types, including manner, place, time, frequency, and degree.

  1. Manner: Describes how an action is performed.
    • "chậm rãi" (slowly) - Example: "Anh ấy nói chậm rãi." (He speaks slowly.)
  2. Place: Indicates where an action takes place.
    • "ở đây" (here), "ở đó" (there) - Example: "Chúng tôi ở đây." (We are here.)
  3. Time: Specifies when an action occurs.
    • "bây giờ" (now), "sau" (later) - Example: "Tôi sẽ làm việc đó sau." (I will do that later.)
  4. Frequency: Shows how often an action occurs.
    • "thường xuyên" (frequently), "đôi khi" (sometimes) - Example: "Tôi thường xuyên đọc sách." (I read books frequently.)
  5. Degree: Indicates the extent or level of an action or adjective.
    • "rất" (very), "khá" (quite) - Example: "Món này rất ngon." (This dish is very delicious.)

Common Adverbs and Their Usage

  • "rất" (very): to intensify an adjective or another adverb.
  • "vô cùng" (extremely): similar to "rất", but stronger.
  • "luôn" (always): indicates something that happens all the time.
  • "không" (not): used to negate a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

Formation of Adverbs

Many adverbs in Vietnamese can be formed by adding "một cách" (in a way), i.e. "một cách" + an adjective. This structure is similar to "ly" in English adverbs.

  • "một cách tự nhiên" (naturally) - "tự nhiên" (natural)