đã ... chưa?

Have You Ever?

Level 2

The pattern đã ... chưa? is used to ask if someone has completed an action or experienced something yet.

How It Works

The pattern đã ... chưa? is a highly frequent yes-no question used to ask whether an action has been completed up to the present moment.

Structure: [Subject] + đã + [Verb Phrase] + chưa?

  • Dropping 'đã': In natural spoken Vietnamese, the pre-verbal đã is frequently omitted. The word chưa at the end of the clause is entirely sufficient to carry the meaning.
  • The 'Có ... chưa?' variant: In casual speech, especially in Southern Vietnam, native speakers frequently replace đã with có (e.g., Bạn có ăn cơm chưa?).
  • Dropping the subject: In casual spoken Vietnamese, the subject is frequently dropped, resulting in common short phrases like Ăn chưa? or Xong chưa?.
  • Placement of 'chưa': Remember that chưa must be placed after the verb and object. For example, say Bạn làm bài tập chưa?, not Bạn làm chưa bài tập?. However, expressive final particles can still follow it (e.g., Bạn làm bài tập chưa vậy? or Bạn làm bài tập chưa hả?).
  • Time expressions: Time expressions typically go at the very beginning of the sentence in this pattern (e.g., Sáng nay bạn ăn chưa?).
  • How to answer: To answer affirmatively, use rồi (already), or repeat the verb followed by rồi. Do not answer with just có (yes), as this is a common learner trap and a grammatical mismatch for this pattern. If you haven't done the action, you must answer with chưa (not yet). Note the structural shift: in a negative statement or answer, chưa acts as a negative marker and goes BEFORE the main verb (e.g., Tôi chưa ăn). When speaking to elders or in formal situations, add dạ (Southern/Central) or the final particle ạ (Northern) for politeness (e.g., Dạ rồi, Chưa ạ). Answering with không (no) is also a grammatical mismatch because it negates present/future actions or general facts, not aspectual completion.
  • 'Yet' vs 'Ever': While it can translate to 'Have you ever?', it usually means 'Have you [done X] yet?'. To specifically ask about life experiences, native speakers add words like bao giờ or use đã từng.

Examples (4)

  1. Bạn đã nhận được tin nhắn của tôi chưa?

    Have you received my message yet?

    Word by Word: Friend already receive get message of me not-yet?

    A standard, polite way to ask if a specific expected action has been completed.

  2. Em ăn cơm chưa?

    Have you eaten yet?

    Word by Word: Younger-sibling eat rice not-yet?

    Notice how 'đã' is completely omitted here. This is extremely common in spoken Vietnamese, especially for everyday routines like eating.

  3. Anh đã làm bài tập chưa?

    Have you done the homework yet?

    Word by Word: Older-brother already do exercise not-yet?

  4. Chị đã đi Huế bao giờ chưa?

    Have you ever been to Huế?

    Word by Word: Older-sister already go Huế any-time not-yet?

    By adding 'bao giờ' (ever/any time), the question shifts from asking about a recent task to asking about a life experience.

Common Mistakes

  • Answering with 'không' instead of 'chưa'

    - Bạn làm bài tập chưa? - Không.
    - Bạn làm bài tập chưa? - Chưa.

    When asked a 'đã ... chưa?' question, the correct negative response is 'chưa' (not yet). Answering 'không' (no) is a grammatical mismatch because 'không' is used to negate present or future actions, not completed ones. It sounds unnatural and can sometimes come across as a refusal rather than simply stating you haven't done it yet.

  • Using 'đã ... không' where 'đã ... chưa' is the usual question.

    Bạn đã xem phim này không?
    Bạn đã xem phim này chưa?

    'Bạn đã xem phim này không?' is grammatical and heard in speech. But to ask whether an action has happened yet, 'đã ... chưa' is the standard and most natural question, because 'chưa' (not yet) also invites the answer 'chưa'.

How It Connects

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

đã ... chưa?Level 2Have You Ever?

Learn This First

The 'đã ... chưa?' pattern is a compound structure used to ask 'Have you... yet?' or 'Have you ever?'. It combines the past/completed aspect marker 'đã' with the 'not yet' particle 'chưa' at the end of the sentence. To understand this, learners must first be familiar with how 'đã' marks completed actions and how 'chưa' functions as a final particle for questions regarding completion.

Words in This Pattern