đi + Verb
Go and Do It
Place the verb đi (to go) directly before another action verb to express leaving your current location to do something.
How It Works
Because Vietnamese has no verb conjugation, the two verbs sit right next to each other without any changes, prepositions, or conjunctions like "and" or "to". The second verb can also take its own object, expanding the pattern to đi + Verb + Object (e.g., đi xem phim - go watch a movie).
Key Nuances:
- Action over Destination: Vietnamese prefers focusing on the activity rather than the place. Instead of focusing on the destination, it is often more natural to focus on the action, such as saying đi làm (go work), đi chơi (go hang out), or đi học (go study). However, a destination can still be added if needed (e.g., đi xem phim ở rạp - go watch a movie at the cinema).
- Not a Future Tense: Unlike English, where "going to" can mean the future tense (e.g., "It is going to rain" without moving), đi strictly requires physical movement. To express the future tense without movement, use sẽ.
- Position Matters: If đi is placed after an action verb, it can act as an imperative particle meaning "go ahead and do it" (see đi (suggestion)), or as a directional particle indicating movement away (see Verb + đi (away), e.g., mang đi - take away). Stacking the verb đi with the imperative particle đi creates the very common phrase Đi đi! (Go! / Go away!).
- With Adjectives: When placed after an adjective, đi acts as an aspectual marker indicating a change in state, but almost exclusively for a negative change, decrease, or fading away (e.g., già đi - to get older, xấu đi - to get uglier). It generally cannot be used for positive changes, which use lên or ra.
While the main đi + Verb pattern is ubiquitous in everyday speech and equally correct in formal writing, the imperative Verb + đi is strictly casual and conversational. Formal contexts prefer using hãy before the verb instead, though these particles frequently stack (hãy + Verb + đi) to provide a formal command softened with encouragement.
Examples (5)
- Tôi đi mua sách.
I am going to buy a book.
Word by Word: I go buy book.
The verbs 'đi' (go) and 'mua' (buy) sit directly next to each other to show the purpose of the movement.
- Chúng ta đi ngủ nhé!
Let's go to sleep!
Word by Word: We go sleep [particle]!
A very common everyday phrase where 'đi' precedes the main action.
- Cô ấy về nhà đi ăn cơm.
She is going back home to eat.
Word by Word: She return home go eat rice.
Multiple verbs can chain together. Here, she returns home, and the purpose of her next movement is to eat.
- Cuối tuần này gia đình tôi đi chơi.
This weekend my family is going out to have fun.
Word by Word: Weekend this family I go play.
'Đi chơi' (go play/hang out) is a fixed serial verb phrase used when going somewhere for leisure.
- Anh ấy đi làm rồi.
He went to work already.
Word by Word: He go work already.
Instead of saying 'went to the office', Vietnamese focuses on the action: 'went to work'.
Common Mistakes
Inserting conjunctions like 'và' (and) or 'để' (in order to) between the verbs.
Tôi đi và mua cà phê.Tôi đi mua cà phê.Do not insert 'và' (and) or 'để' (in order to) between the verbs. While 'đi để mua' is grammatically intelligible, it sounds overly literal and breaks the natural flow of the serial verb construction.
Translating English destination phrases literally instead of using the purpose verb.
Tôi đi trường.Tôi đi học.Vietnamese prefers focusing on the action rather than the physical destination. Instead of 'going to school' (đi trường), native speakers say 'go study' (đi học).
Using 'đi' as a future tense marker without physical movement.
Ngày mai trời đi mưa.Ngày mai trời sẽ mưa.'Đi' strictly denotes physical movement. It cannot be used as a future tense auxiliary like the English 'going to'. Use 'sẽ' for future events.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'đi + Verb' (Go and do something), a learner needs to know the basic verb 'đi' (to go) and how Vietnamese allows verbs to be placed together in a sequence (serial verb construction) without needing to conjugate them or use specific infinitival markers like 'to' in English.
- điTo Go
The learner must first understand the basic meaning of 'đi' as the verb 'to go' before using it as a purpose marker in a verb chain.
Level 1 - Stringing Verbs Together
This pattern is a specific type of serial verb construction where multiple verbs are strung together to indicate a sequence or purpose.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- đi (cầu khiến)Go Ahead and ...
When 'đi' is placed after the verb instead of before it, it changes from a motion verb to an imperative particle urging someone to do something.
Level 1 - đếnTo Arrive / to
While 'đi + Verb' focuses on the action you are going to perform, 'đi đến + Noun' is used when you want to emphasize arriving at a specific physical destination.
Level 1 - sẽWill
English speakers often confuse 'đi' with the future tense 'going to'. In Vietnamese, 'sẽ' is the true future marker, while 'đi' requires actual physical movement.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice đi + Verb in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Vietnamese lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
