bị + Noun

In this pattern, bị functions as a main verb meaning "to suffer" or "to be afflicted with" when followed directly by a noun. This is used to express experiencing a negative condition, illness, or situation. (Note: bị is also used as a grammatical marker for negative passive sentences, as seen in bị (passive) and Subject + bị + Agent + Verb, where the subject receives an adverse action. Its positive counterpart is Subject + được + Agent + Verb, like Tôi được giáo viên khen - I was praised by the teacher).

• Illnesses and Medical Conditions:
  In English, you say "I have a cold." In Vietnamese, bị (or mắc) is the standard, default word used for having a disease or illness, even in objective clinical contexts. You say Tôi bị cảm. (I have a cold). While English uses "to have", using có for illnesses is not the standard phrasing.
• Accidents and Bad Situations:
  Use it for negative events like accidents (tai nạn).
• Malfunctions in Inanimate Objects:
  This pattern is very commonly used for broken or malfunctioning items, such as máy tính bị lỗi (the computer has an error) or xe bị sự cố (the car has a problem).
• Inconvenient Situations and Weather:
  This pattern is also frequently used when you get caught in bad weather, such as bị mưa (to get caught in the rain) or bị bão (to get caught in a storm).
• Negative Polarity (Usually):
  In standard grammar, bị is for bad things. If you receive something good (like a gift or a reward), you use được + Noun or được instead. For neutral or objective facts where no harm is done, Vietnamese often uses no marker at all (e.g., Nhà này xây năm 1990 - This house was built in 1990). Mixing these up is a very common mistake! However, note that in modern youth slang, bị is often paired with hơi and positive adjectives (e.g., hơi bị đẹp - incredibly beautiful, hơi bị ngon - extremely delicious). Additionally, Gen Z slang often pairs bị directly with positive verbs or adjectives (e.g., bị thích - to be obsessed/really like, bị cuốn - to be captivated, bị đẹp - overwhelmingly beautiful) to act as an overwhelming intensifier, intentionally breaking the 'negative only' rule for humorous or dramatic effect.