không bao giờ

Never (Habit)

Level 2

không bao giờ + Verb means 'never do' or 'will never do'.

How It Works

The phrase không bao giờ translates to 'never'. It is typically placed before the verb to deny that an action happens at any time. However, it can also be split around the verb or object (e.g., không + verb/object + bao giờ, like Tôi không ăn thịt bao giờ - 'I never eat meat'), or placed at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis.

When to use it:

  • Habits: Things you never do (e.g., Tôi không bao giờ uống cà phê - 'I never drink coffee').
  • General truths: Absolute statements (e.g., Nước không bao giờ chảy ngược - 'Water never flows uphill').
  • Future refusals: Things you will absolutely never do. This is often paired with nữa at the end of the sentence (e.g., Tôi sẽ không bao giờ tha thứ cho anh ta nữa - 'I will never forgive him again').
  • Absolute past negation: Meaning 'at no time in the past' (e.g., Không bao giờ tôi nghĩ mình sẽ gặp lại cô ấy - 'Never did I think I would meet her again').

Asking 'ever':
To ask if someone ever does something as a habit, use có bao giờ ... không? (e.g., Bạn có bao giờ uống trà không? - 'Do you ever drink tea?'). To ask about past experiences ('Have you ever...?'), use có bao giờ ... chưa? or đã từng ... chưa? (e.g., Bạn có bao giờ đến Việt Nam chưa? - 'Have you ever been to Vietnam?').

Crucial Distinction:
English uses 'never' for both habits ('I never smoke') and past experiences ('I have never smoked'). Vietnamese separates these:

  • Use không bao giờ for habits, the future, or absolute past negation.
  • Use chưa bao giờ or chưa từng (using từng) for past experiences up to the present moment ('have never').

In casual speech, you might also hear chẳng bao giờ or chả bao giờ, which are slightly more emphatic versions of the same pattern.

Examples (5)

  1. Tôi không bao giờ ăn sáng.

    I never eat breakfast.

    Word by Word: I not ever eat morning.

    Expresses a permanent habit.

  2. Anh ấy không bao giờ đến muộn.

    He never arrives late.

    Word by Word: He not ever arrive late.

    Describes a general truth about someone's behavior.

  3. Tôi sẽ không bao giờ quên ngày hôm nay.

    I will never forget today.

    Word by Word: I will not ever forget day today.

    Expresses an absolute future intention.

  4. Mẹ tôi không bao giờ uống rượu.

    My mother never drinks alcohol.

    Word by Word: Mother my not ever drink alcohol.

    Another example of a lifelong habit or rule.

  5. Chiến tranh không bao giờ giải quyết được gì cả.

    Wars never solve anything.

    Word by Word: War not ever solve manage anything at all.

    Used to state a general, absolute truth.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'không bao giờ' to mean 'have never' (past experience).

    Different MeaningTôi không bao giờ đi Thái Lan.
    Tôi chưa bao giờ đi Thái Lan.

    'Tôi không bao giờ đi Thái Lan' is a correct sentence, but it means 'I never go to Thailand' (a habit or a refusal). To say you 'have never' done something in your life up to now, use chưa bao giờ.

  • Placing the entire phrase 'không bao giờ' at the end of the sentence.

    Tôi ăn sáng không bao giờ.
    Tôi không bao giờ ăn sáng.

    While you can split the phrase (e.g., 'Tôi không ăn sáng bao giờ'), the word không must always precede the verb. You cannot place the entire phrase không bao giờ at the very end of the sentence after the verb.

How It Connects

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

không bao giờLevel 2Never (Habit)

Learn This First

To understand 'không bao giờ' (never), you first need to be familiar with the basic negation word 'không' and the temporal question/concept 'bao giờ' (when/ever). Combining these two components allows you to express that an action occurs at no time.

Words in This Pattern

bao giờ