Lesson 17: Serial verb constructions

In Vietnamese, you can often string verbs or actions together in a continuous flow without needing words like "to" or "and."

Flowing Actions

If you are doing a series of related things, you just list them in the order they happen.

Tôi đi mua cơm ăn.
"I go (to) buy rice (to) eat."

Verb Stacking

You'll see common combinations that act as a single idea, like đi mua (go buy) or về nhà (go home).

Mẹ đi chợ mua rau.
"Mom goes to market (to) buy vegetables."

Bridging with "xong"

Use xong (finished) to link one action ending and the next beginning immediately.

Làm xong đi ngủ.
"Finish work (and then) go to sleep."

Ăn xong đi chơi!
"Finish eating (and then) let's go out!"

Intention through Motion

Movement verbs like đi (go) or đến (come) often act as helper verbs that set the direction for the main action.

Anh đi lấy nước nhé?
"Shall I go (and) get water?"

Tôi chạy ra mở cửa.
"I run out (to) open the door."

Examples

Em về nhà lấy đồ.
"I'm going home (to) get my things."

Bạn đi học về chưa?
"Have you gone to school (and) come back yet?"

Tôi ngồi đọc sách.
"I sit (and) read a book."

Note on nuance

This pattern makes Vietnamese feel very direct and fast. Instead of building complex sentences with connectors, you just list the actions as they occur in your mind.