Mới (Prep)

Situations

S1: Nam asked when the bookstore closes. Hà said:

Nhà sách tám giờ tôi mới đóng cửa.
(The bookstore will not close until eight.)

Hà thinks the bookstore will close at eight or later; it won't close before then.

S2: Hà answered that the cafe closes only after the last customer has gone.

Các quán cà phê hết khách mới đóng cửa.
(The coffee shops close only after the last customer has gone.)

Hà means the condition for closing the cafe is that the last customer has left.

Definition

Mới, as a preposition, indicates the relationship between a condition and a result. In the construction (A) mới (B), (A) is the condition expressed as time, action, or state, and (B) results from the fulfillment of that condition.

Combinations

• chỉ... mới...: Denotes that A is a unique condition for B.

[1] Chỉ có cố gắng mới thành công.
    (Only by trying can one succeed.)

• có... mới...: Equivalent to chỉ... mới....

[2] Có nói chuyện với anh ấy anh mới hiểu anh ấy.
    (Only by talking to him can you understand him.)

• đến... mới...: Indicates an event occurs at a specific time later than expected.

[3] Trễ lắm! Đến năm giờ em mới về.
    (Very late! I won't be home until five o'clock.)

• mãi... mới...: Similar to đến... mới..., but stronger.

[4] Em ngủ trễ lắm. Mãi một giờ sáng em mới ngủ.
    (I went to bed very late. I didn't go to bed until one o'clock A.M.)