Language/Vietnamese/Grammar/Present-Tense-Verbs

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Vietnamese → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Present Tense Verbs

Welcome to our lesson on Present Tense Verbs in Vietnamese! Understanding how to use verbs in the present tense is fundamental when learning a new language, as it allows you to communicate everyday actions and routines. In Vietnamese, the present tense is quite straightforward compared to some other languages. There are no complicated conjugations based on the subject; instead, the context and time indicators often provide clarity.

In this lesson, we will explore the structure of present tense verbs in Vietnamese, provide numerous examples, and give you the opportunity to practice what you have learned.

Here’s a brief outline of what we’ll cover:

• Introduction to Present Tense Verbs

• How Present Tense Verbs Work

• Examples of Present Tense Verbs

• Exercises and Practice Scenarios

• Solutions and Explanations for Exercises

Introduction to Present Tense Verbs

In Vietnamese, the present tense is used to describe actions occurring right now or habitual actions. The beauty of Vietnamese lies in its simplicity; verbs don’t change form based on the subject. For example, the verb “to eat” (ăn) remains the same whether you are talking about I eat, he eats, or they eat.

To create a sentence in the present tense, you typically need:

• A subject (who is performing the action)

• A verb (what action is being performed)

• An object (what the action is being performed on, if applicable)

For example:

• Tôi ăn cơm. (I eat rice.)

Here, “Tôi” is the subject, “ăn” is the verb, and “cơm” is the object.

How Present Tense Verbs Work

In Vietnamese, verbs usually follow these simple patterns:

1. Subject + Verb + Object

• Example: Họ đọc sách. (They read books.)

2. Subject + Verb (with time indicator)

• Example: Tôi đi học bây giờ. (I go to school now.)

3. Subject + Verb + Adverb

• Example: Cô ấy chạy nhanh. (She runs fast.)

The key point is that the verb form does not change. You can express different subjects without altering the verb.

Examples of Present Tense Verbs

Let’s look at some common verbs in Vietnamese and how they fit into sentences:

Vietnamese	Pronunciation	English
Tôi ăn cơm.	/toj ʔan kəːm/	I eat rice.
Anh ấy học tiếng Anh.	/ʔaɲ ʔɛj hɔk tiəŋ ʔaɲ/	He studies English.
Chúng tôi chơi thể thao.	/tɕuŋ tɔj tɕɤj tʰeː tʰɑːo/	We play sports.
Cô ấy nấu ăn.	/ko ʔɛj nɤu ʔan/	She cooks.
Họ đi bộ.	/hɔː diː boʊ/	They walk.
Tôi nghe nhạc.	/toj ŋɛː ɲɛːk/	I listen to music.
Anh ấy viết thư.	/ʔaɲ ʔɛj viət hɨ/	He writes a letter.
Chúng tôi xem phim.	/tɕuŋ tɔj sɛm fiːm/	We watch a movie.
Cô ấy dạy học.	/ko ʔɛj zaj hɔk/	She teaches.
Họ uống nước.	/hɔː ʔuəŋ nɨək/	They drink water.
Tôi ngủ sớm.	/toj ɡuː səːm/	I sleep early.
Anh ấy chơi piano.	/ʔaɲ ʔɛj tɕɤj pjaːno/	He plays the piano.
Chúng tôi đọc sách.	/tɕuŋ tɔj ɗɔk sɐk/	We read books.
Cô ấy phỏng vấn.	/ko ʔɛj fɔŋ vən/	She interviews.
Họ gọi điện thoại.	/hɔː ɡɔj diən tʰwaɪ/	They call on the phone.
Tôi làm việc.	/toj lɛːm viək/	I work.
Anh ấy chạy bộ.	/ʔaɲ ʔɛj tʃaj boʊ/	He jogs.
Cô ấy xem tivi.	/ko ʔɛj sɛm tiːvi/	She watches TV.
Họ nhảy múa.	/hɔː ɲaj muːə/	They dance.
Tôi vẽ tranh.	/toj vɛː tʃɨŋ/	I paint pictures.
Anh ấy tập thể dục.	/ʔaɲ ʔɛj tʌp tʰeː jʊk/	He exercises.
Chúng tôi đi mua sắm.	/tɕuŋ tɔj diː muə sɒm/	We go shopping.

As you can see, the structure remains consistent, and the meanings are clear.

Exercises and Practice Scenarios

Now that you’ve learned how to form sentences in the present tense, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test! Here are some exercises for you:

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences by filling in the blanks with the appropriate verb.

1. Tôi ______ (học) tiếng Việt. (I ______ Vietnamese.)

2. Anh ấy ______ (chạy) nhanh. (He ______ fast.)

3. Họ ______ (đi) ra ngoài. (They ______ outside.)

4. Cô ấy ______ (nấu) món ăn. (She ______ a dish.)

5. Chúng tôi ______ (nghe) nhạc. (We ______ music.)

Exercise 2: Translate the Sentences

Translate the following sentences from English to Vietnamese.

1. I eat fruits.

2. They watch movies.

3. We play games.

4. She studies math.

5. He drinks tea.

Exercise 3: Create Your Own Sentences

Create sentences using the following verbs:

• đọc (to read)

• viết (to write)

• chơi (to play)

• ngủ (to sleep)

• ăn (to eat)

Exercise 4: Verb Matching

Match the verbs in Column A with their meanings in Column B.

Column A	Column B
1. học	A. to cook
2. ăn	B. to play
3. đọc	C. to study
4. nấu	D. to eat
5. chơi	E. to read

Exercise 5: Sentence Rearrangement

Rearrange the words to form correct sentences.

1. (cô ấy, sách, đọc)

2. (tôi, nước, uống)

3. (họ, thể thao, chơi)

4. (anh ấy, piano, chơi)

5. (chúng tôi, cơm, ăn)

Solutions and Explanations for Exercises

Here are the solutions to the exercises:

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

1. Tôi học tiếng Việt. (I study Vietnamese.)

2. Anh ấy chạy nhanh. (He runs fast.)

3. Họ đi ra ngoài. (They go outside.)

4. Cô ấy nấu món ăn. (She cooks a dish.)

5. Chúng tôi nghe nhạc. (We listen to music.)

Exercise 2: Translate the Sentences

1. Tôi ăn trái cây. (I eat fruits.)

2. Họ xem phim. (They watch movies.)

3. Chúng tôi chơi trò chơi. (We play games.)

4. Cô ấy học toán. (She studies math.)

5. Anh ấy uống trà. (He drinks tea.)

Exercise 3: Create Your Own Sentences

(Sample Answers)

1. Tôi đọc sách. (I read a book.)

2. Anh ấy viết thư. (He writes a letter.)

3. Họ chơi bóng đá. (They play football.)

4. Cô ấy ngủ sớm. (She sleeps early.)

5. Chúng tôi ăn phở. (We eat pho.)

Exercise 4: Verb Matching

1. học - C. to study

2. ăn - D. to eat

3. đọc - E. to read

4. nấu - A. to cook

5. chơi - B. to play

Exercise 5: Sentence Rearrangement

1. Cô ấy đọc sách. (She reads a book.)

2. Tôi uống nước. (I drink water.)

3. Họ chơi thể thao. (They play sports.)

4. Anh ấy chơi piano. (He plays the piano.)

5. Chúng tôi ăn cơm. (We eat rice.)

And that wraps up our lesson on Present Tense Verbs! I hope you found this session engaging and informative. Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep using these verbs in your daily conversations to reinforce what you’ve learned.

Table of Contents - Vietnamese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Hello and Goodbye
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Vietnamese Culture Basics

• Vietnamese Values
• Social Etiquette
• Cuisine and Dining

  ---

Numbers and Counting

• Counting 1-10
• Counting 11-20
• Counting 21 and Beyond

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Nouns and Gender
• Pronouns and Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Holidays and Celebrations

• Tet
• Mid-Autumn Festival

  ---

Verbs and Verb Tenses

• Present Tense Verbs
• Past Tense Verbs
• Future Tense Verbs
• Modal Verbs

  ---

Food and Drink

• Vietnamese Food
• Drinks and Beverages
• Food Ordering

  ---

Arts and Entertainment

• Traditional Music
• Movie and Television

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives
• Adverbs

  ---

Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Giving Directions

  ---

Traditional Clothing

• Ao Dai
• Other Traditional Clothing

Sources

• Vietnamese verbs – YourVietnamese
• Vietnamese Grammar: Past, Present and Future Tenses (with Audio ...
• Tenses & Verb Conjugations in Vietnamese Language - Vietnamese ...

Other Lessons

• Conditional Mood
• Future Tense
• Adjectives
• Nouns and Gender
• Articles
• Tenses
• Ask Questions
• Plurals
• Possessive Pronouns
• Personal pronouns

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