Sẽ (Adv)

Situations

S1: Mr. Lâm's family is in difficulty, but he says:

Em đừng lo! Mọi việc sẽ tốt đẹp.
(Don't worry! Everything will be fine.)

Sẽ indicates an event the speaker thinks will become true in the future.

S2: Lazy student Long apologizes:

Em xin lỗi cô! Em sẽ cố gắng. Em sẽ không lười nữa.
(I apologize. I will make an effort. I won't be lazy any longer.)

Sẽ expresses a promise or pledge for the future.

S3: Boiling water:

Ở nhiệt độ 100°C nước sẽ bốc hơi.
(At 100°C, water will evaporate.)

Sẽ expresses that, given a certain condition, something will be true.

S4: Nam wishes he had money:

Tôi có tiền, tôi sẽ đi du lịch khắp thế giới.
(If I had money, I would travel around the world.)

Sẽ introduces a hypothesis (not yet true) that hinges on a condition.

S5: Nam planned to marry Lan after graduating, but she changed her mind.

Theo dự định của Nam, đám cưới của anh và Lan sẽ diễn ra sau khi anh tốt nghiệp, nếu như Lan không đổi ý.
(The wedding would have taken place after graduation if Lan had not changed her mind.)

Sẽ indicates what would have happened from a past reference point.

Definition

Sẽ, as an adverb, is used to express something that will happen in the future (according to the speaker) or something that will happen given a certain condition.

  • sẽ and đã, đang, sắp: Traditional grammar links these to future, past, and present. However, in Vietnamese, tense is often understood from context (e.g., ngày mai, lúc bấy giờ). Đã, đang indicate the reality (fact) of an event, while sẽ, sắp indicate its unreality (not yet happened). Cf. đã (p. 111), đang (p. 119), sắp (p. 339), rồi (p. 327).

Combinations

  • đã, đang và sẽ: Used in very formal language to affirm the long-term existence and continuation of an action.
[1] Chúng ta đã, đang và sẽ đấu tranh cho độc lập dân tộc.
    (We have been, are, and will continue fighting for national independence.)