In the previous lesson, we learned about the composition of words. In this lesson, we will continue by studying the basic sentence structure of the Vietnamese language, including the use of subjects, predicates, and objects.
Basic syntax
Vietnamese, unlike other languages, does not have verb conjugations based on tense, number or gender of the subject (verbs do not change). By combining words according to the basic syntax below, you can easily create simple sentences.
| Subjects (Nouns or Personal pronouns) |
+ | Predicates (Verbs or Adjectives) |
+ | Objects |
Examples:
① Tôi (I) học (study) tiếng Việt (Vietnamese).
② Nhà (house) rộng (is spacious).
③ Đây (this) là (is) Minh (Minh).
Syntax for Negative Sentences
Similar to ‘don’t’ or ‘doesn’t’ in English, to express negation, simply add ‘không’ before the predicate.
| Subjects (Nouns or Personal pronouns) |
+ |
không |
+ |
Predicates (Verbs or Adjectives) |
+ |
Objects |
Examples:
① Tôi không nói tiếng Pháp. (I do not speak French.)
② Cô ấy không khỏe. (She is not well.)
③ Kia không phải là nhà hàng Nhật. (That is not a Japanese restaurant.)
Notes:
In some languages, the subject can often be omitted and the meaning still understood, but in Vietnamese, omitting the subject can make it difficult to convey the meaning clearly and might also be considered rude.
Examples:
① Anh có khỏe không? (Are you good?)
② Khỏe không? (Well?)