vẫn

Still

Level 2

The adverb vẫn means "still." It is placed directly before a verb or adjective to show that a situation continues without changing.

How It Works

1. Basic Structure
Subject + vẫn + Verb/Adjective
Because Vietnamese verbs never change form, vẫn simply drops in before the action or state word to show continuity. For example, it attaches directly to adjectives without a 'to be' verb (e.g., Trời vẫn lạnh - The weather is still cold). Note that to use vẫn with a noun, it must be paired with the copula là (e.g., Anh ấy vẫn là sinh viên - He is still a student).

2. Adding Nuance
On its own, vẫn is a neutral word for "still." However, when you want to highlight that something stubbornly remains the same despite expectations, it pairs perfectly with concessive structures like "Even though... still..." (dù ... vẫn ...).

3. Vẫn vs. Còn
Learners often wonder about the difference between vẫn and còn. In everyday speech, they are frequently used interchangeably as adverbs before verbs or adjectives to simply mean "still" (e.g., Anh còn yêu em không? - Do you still love me?). The main difference is that còn can also act as a main verb meaning "to remain" or "to still have" (e.g., Tôi còn tiền - I still have money), which vẫn cannot do. For extra emphasis, they are often combined into vẫn còn.

4. Common Combinations
Vẫn frequently combines with other markers. Use vẫn đang to emphasize that an action is still currently in progress. To amplify the stubbornness of doing something anyway despite advice or obstacles, native speakers use the combination vẫn cứ. For negative continuity, just like the English "still not," the word order is strict: vẫn always comes before the negative marker. You must use vẫn không (still don't/doesn't) or vẫn chưa (still haven't yet).

5. The Opposite of Still
To express the opposite of "still" (meaning "not anymore" or "no longer"), do not use vẫn. Instead, use the structure không ... nữa.

6. Conversational Phrases
You will constantly hear vẫn in everyday small talk, especially when answering "How are you?" questions. Native speakers frequently drop the subject in these replies. Common fixed phrases include Vẫn thế or Vẫn vậy (Still the same), Vẫn bình thường (Still normal / As usual), and Vẫn khỏe (Still healthy / Doing well).

Examples (5)

  1. Tôi vẫn sống ở Hà Nội.

    I still live in Hanoi.

    Word by Word: I still live at Hanoi.

    Shows an unchanged state over time. Notice how it sits directly before the main verb.

  2. Trời vẫn xanh.

    The sky is still blue.

    Word by Word: Sky still blue.

    Placed directly before the adjective to show a continuous characteristic.

  3. Dù trời mưa to, họ vẫn đi đá bóng.

    Even though it is raining heavily, they are still going to play soccer.

    Word by Word: Even though sky rain big, they still go kick ball.

    Highlights persistence against an obstacle or contrary expectation.

  4. Anh ấy vẫn ốm.

    He is still sick.

    Word by Word: Older brother that still sick.

    Notice that vẫn goes directly before the adjective, unlike English where "still" often follows the "to be" verb.

  5. Chúng tôi vẫn còn thời gian.

    We still have time.

    Word by Word: We still remain time.

    Here, vẫn modifies the verb còn (to remain/have left) for extra emphasis on the fact that time persists.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing "vẫn" at the end of the sentence or after a "to be" verb.

    Anh ấy ốm vẫn.
    Anh ấy vẫn ốm.

    In Vietnamese, vẫn must strictly precede the main verb or adjective. It cannot float to the end of the sentence like in English.

  • Using "vẫn" by itself to mean "still have".

    Tôi vẫn tiền.
    Tôi còn tiền.

    Vẫn is only an adverb; it cannot act as a verb of possession. To say you "still have" something, you must use còn (to remain) or the combination vẫn còn.

How It Connects

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vẫnLevel 2Still

Learn This First

To use 'vẫn' (still), you need to understand basic Vietnamese word order, specifically that modifiers like aspect markers are placed directly before the verb. It is also helpful to understand that Vietnamese uses markers to indicate the status of an action rather than changing the verb form itself.

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