không + Verb + được

Cannot Manage to

Level 2

The pattern không + Verb + được means "cannot [Verb]". It focuses on the failure to achieve a result, often because you are physically unable, circumstances prevent it, or you cannot tolerate something.

How It Works

This is one of the most common ways to say "cannot" in Vietnamese. Because được implies successfully achieving a result, negating it means you fail to achieve that result.

1. When to use it:

  • Physical inability: The door is stuck, so you cannot open it.
  • Circumstances: You are too busy, so you cannot go to the party.
  • Tolerance: You cannot stomach spicy food or alcohol.

2. Object Placement and Structures:
There are three common ways to order the words when an object is involved:

  • không + V + được + Object: Tôi không ăn được hải sản. (I cannot eat seafood - Standard/Northern preference)
  • không + V + Object + được: Tôi không ăn hải sản được. (I cannot eat seafood - Common variation)
  • V + (Object) + không được: Tôi ăn hải sản không được. (I cannot eat seafood - Highly natural and common in the South)
  • Topic-Comment Structure: It is very common to drop the subject pronoun and put the object first as the topic. For example: Cái này không ăn được. (This cannot be eaten).

3. Nuance vs. Other Patterns:
Do not confuse this with không thể, which expresses a more general or objective impossibility and belongs to a more formal or written register, whereas không + V + được is highly conversational. For strong emphasis, you can combine them into không thể + V + được ("cannot possibly"). Also, use biết (không biết) when you cannot do something simply because you haven't learned the skill yet (like swimming or speaking a language). If you mean "cannot yet" or want to soften the inability, use chưa + V + được. Finally, be careful not to swap the word order! Tôi không ăn được means "I cannot eat it", whereas không được + V means "not allowed to" (e.g., Tôi không được ăn = "I am not allowed to eat it") or acts as a negative passive (e.g., Tôi không được mời = "I was not invited").

4. Asking Questions:
To ask if someone can manage to do something, use the question form V + (Object) + được không? (e.g., Bạn ăn cay được không? - Can you eat spicy food?).

Examples (4)

  1. Tôi không ăn được sầu riêng.

    I cannot eat durian.

    Word by Word: I not eat manage-to durian.

    This implies an inability to tolerate the taste or smell, rather than a lack of permission.

  2. Hôm nay tôi không đi làm được.

    I cannot go to work today.

    Word by Word: Today I not go work manage-to.

    Expresses an inability due to circumstances, such as being sick or having an emergency.

  3. Cửa hỏng rồi, tôi không mở được.

    The door is broken, I cannot open it.

    Word by Word: Door broken already, I not open manage-to.

    Demonstrates a physical inability to achieve the result of opening the door.

  4. Xin lỗi, tôi không nói tiếng Việt được.

    Sorry, I cannot speak Vietnamese.

    Word by Word: Sorry, I not speak Vietnamese manage-to.

    Notice how the object (tiếng Việt) is placed before 'được'. This word order is highly natural, especially in Southern Vietnam.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting 'được' before the verb when you mean 'cannot'.

    Different MeaningHôm nay tôi không được đi làm.
    Hôm nay tôi không đi làm được.

    The sentence is correct, but it means something else: 'Hôm nay tôi không được đi làm' means 'I'm not allowed to go to work today'. Word order changes the meaning. không được + V means 'not allowed to' (prohibition) when the subject is the doer, or it acts as a negative passive meaning 'not [verb]-ed' (e.g., 'Tôi không được mời' = 'I was not invited') when the subject is the receiver. To say you are unable to do something, put 'được' after the verb ('không đi làm được') or use 'không thể'.

  • Using 'không ... được' to say you never learned a skill.

    Different MeaningTôi không bơi được vì tôi chưa học.
    Tôi không biết bơi vì tôi chưa học.

    'Tôi không bơi được' is a natural sentence, and people say it to mean 'I can't swim'. But it stresses being unable to do it, not never having learned. To stress that you lack a learned skill, use biết (không biết + V).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

không + Verb + đượcLevel 2Cannot Manage to

Learn This First

To understand 'không + V + được', you first need to know how to negate a verb using 'không' and how 'được' functions as a resultative or potential marker after a verb. This pattern combines these two elements to express the inability to manage or achieve an action.

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