Southern Vietnamese
Rồi and Chưa in Vietnamese: Already, Yet & Not Yet
Learn rồi and chưa in Vietnamese: already, yet, not yet, ăn rồi, ăn chưa, chưa xong, and workplace-ready examples with audio.
Quick answer
In one sentence
Rồi means already or done; chưa means yet or not yet. Together they help you ask and answer whether something has happened.
- Learner problem: I cannot say already or not yet naturally.
- Pattern: action + rồi/chưa: Ăn rồi. / Ăn chưa?
Search intent guide
Rồi and chưa: already, yet, and not yet
Rồi marks something as done; chưa asks or says not yet. These two words power common daily and workplace answers.
| Learner intent | Use this first | Why it matches |
|---|---|---|
| Already done | Tôi ăn rồi | Rồi goes after the action to mark completion. |
| Ask if done yet | Bạn ăn chưa? | Chưa asks whether something has happened yet. |
| Not finished yet | Chưa xong | A useful short answer for work, school, and errands. |
Learner problem
I cannot say already or not yet naturally.
Pattern preview
action + rồi/chưa: Ăn rồi. / Ăn chưa?
The short version
Rồi and chưa help you say already, not yet, and ask if something has happened.
Pattern box
action + rồi/chưa: Ăn rồi. / Ăn chưa?
English trap
Do not translate already and yet word by word; learn them as sentence endings.
Right vs wrong examples
| Instead of this | Say this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Copy the English structure word by word | Tôi ăn rồi | Use the Vietnamese pattern as a ready-made chunk. |
| Add extra grammar words because English needs them | Bạn ăn chưa? | Vietnamese often stays shorter than English. |
| Study the rule without a real situation | Chưa | Attach the rule to a cafe, taxi, hotel, market, or work sentence. |
Core examples
| Vietnamese | English | Practice note |
|---|---|---|
| Tôi ăn rồi | I already ate | Rồi marks completed action. |
| Bạn ăn chưa? | Have you eaten yet? | Chưa asks not yet/already. |
| Chưa | Not yet | Short natural answer. |
| Rồi | Already / yes, done | Short completed answer. |
| Tôi đặt phòng rồi | I booked the room already | Rồi at the end. |
| Tôi chưa hiểu | I do not understand yet | Chưa before the verb. |
| Làm xong chưa? | Is it done yet? | Chưa asks completion. |
| Xong rồi | It is done | Very common response. |
| Bạn đi chưa? | Have you gone yet? | Chưa after the action question. |
| Tôi mới đến | I just arrived | Mới can show recent action. |
| Đã trả rồi | Already paid | Đã and rồi can reinforce completion. |
| Chưa có | Not available yet / do not have yet | Common short answer. |
How to use it in real sentences
Use the examples as sentence patterns, not isolated vocabulary. Say the whole line first, then replace one small part such as the person, time, object, or place.
Substitution drill
| Base sentence | Change this | New sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Tôi ăn rồi | change the person or topic | Bạn ăn chưa? |
| Bạn ăn chưa? | change the time, place, or object | Chưa |
| Chưa | say it as a real request or answer | Rồi |
Real situation
Use this beginner foundation grammar when a real conversation forces you to speak quickly. Pick one sentence from the examples, imagine the situation, then change only one detail so the grammar becomes usable instead of abstract.
Southern Vietnamese note
Southern Vietnamese often prefers practical, context-rich examples. Learn the pattern through a line you might actually say.
Practice drill
- Read each Vietnamese sentence aloud.
- Replace one noun or time word.
- Listen to the slow audio, then say the new sentence twice.
- Cover the English and recall the Vietnamese from the situation.
- Save the examples you would actually use this week.
Common mistake
Do not translate already and yet word by word; learn them as sentence endings.
Next step
After this page, open the related practice or continue to the next grammar lesson: sentence-particles.
Listen and practice examples
Play normal, slow, then change one word and say the sentence again.
12 examples
Tôi ăn rồi
I already ate
Rồi marks completed action.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Tôi→tờ ôi tôi
ăn→ăn
rồi→rờ ôi rôi huyền rồi
Bạn ăn chưa?
Have you eaten yet?
Chưa asks not yet/already.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Bạn→bờ an ban nặng Bạn
ăn→ăn
chưa→chờ ưa chưa
Chưa
Not yet
Short natural answer.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Chưa→chờ ưa chưa
Rồi
Already / yes, done
Short completed answer.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Rồi→rờ ôi rôi huyền Rồi
Tôi đặt phòng rồi
I booked the room already
Rồi at the end.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Tôi→tờ ôi tôi
đặt→đờ ăt đăt nặng đặt
phòng→phờ ong phong huyền phòng
rồi→rờ ôi rôi huyền rồi
Tôi chưa hiểu
I do not understand yet
Chưa before the verb.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Tôi→tờ ôi tôi
chưa→chờ ưa chưa
hiểu→hờ iêu hiêu hỏi hiểu
Làm xong chưa?
Is it done yet?
Chưa asks completion.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Làm→lờ am lam huyền Làm
xong→xờ ong xong
chưa→chờ ưa chưa
Xong rồi
It is done
Very common response.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Xong→xờ ong xong
rồi→rờ ôi rôi huyền rồi
Bạn đi chưa?
Have you gone yet?
Chưa after the action question.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Bạn→bờ an ban nặng Bạn
đi→đờ i đi
chưa→chờ ưa chưa
Tôi mới đến
I just arrived
Mới can show recent action.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Tôi→tờ ôi tôi
mới→mờ ơi mơi sắc mới
đến→đờ ên đên sắc đến
Đã trả rồi
Already paid
Đã and rồi can reinforce completion.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Đã→đờ a đa ngã Đã
trả→trờ a tra hỏi trả
rồi→rờ ôi rôi huyền rồi
Chưa có
Not available yet / do not have yet
Common short answer.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Chưa→chờ ưa chưa
có→cờ o co sắc có
Meaning check
Quick practice
Which option is the best way to practice vietnamese rồi and chưa for beginners?
FAQ
What does rồi mean in Vietnamese?
Rồi means already, done, or completed depending on context. It often goes after the action: Tôi ăn rồi means I already ate.
What does chưa mean in Vietnamese?
Chưa means yet or not yet. Bạn ăn chưa? means Have you eaten yet?, and chưa xong means not finished yet.
What is the difference between rồi and chưa?
Rồi marks something as completed. Chưa asks or says that something has not happened yet.
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