lần

Times (Counting Occasions)

Level 2

Lần means "time" or "instance" when counting how often an event occurs.

How It Works

1. Counting Frequency
To say how many times something happens, place a number or quantifier directly before lần:

  • Number + lần (e.g., một lần = once, ba lần = three times)
  • Quantifier + lần (e.g., mấy lần = how many times / a few times, bao nhiêu lần = how many times)

Syntax Note: Frequency phrases typically go at the end of the clause, after the verb and object (e.g., Tôi đã xem phim này ba lần).

2. Specific Occurrences (Ordinals)
To say "the first time" or "the third time", use the ordinal marker thứ:

  • lần + thứ + Number (e.g., lần thứ ba = the third time)
  • Note: While lần đầu tiên is the most common conversational phrase for "the first time", lần thứ nhất is also correct and often used in formal contexts or lists.

3. Multiplication
To say something is "three times bigger", you will often use the multiplier verb gấp (e.g., gấp ba or gấp ba lần). Alternatively, you can use the comparative structure: Adjective + hơn + Number + lần (e.g., lớn hơn ba lần = three times bigger). However, using gấp (e.g., lớn gấp ba lần) is the safest and most standard choice to avoid mathematical ambiguity (whether it means 3x total or 3x more).
Note on Doubling: To say "twice" or "double", gấp đôi is overwhelmingly preferred when standing alone. If you use hai, it is usually paired with lần (e.g., gấp hai lần).
Note on Halves and Decimals: lần can be used with whole numbers, decimals, and fractions greater than 1 (e.g., gấp 1,5 lần or gấp 2,5 lần). A highly common conversational way to say "one and a half times" is gấp rưỡi. To say "half as big", Vietnamese uses bằng một nửa (e.g., nhỏ bằng một nửa), not gấp nửa lần.

4. Important Distinctions
English uses the word "time" for many different concepts, but Vietnamese is highly specific:

  • lần: Counting occurrences (I went three times).
  • thời gian: The abstract concept or duration (I don't have time).
  • lượt: A turn or round in a sequence (It's my turn).
  • lần lượt: A compound word meaning 'in turn' or 'sequentially', bridging the concepts of occurrences and turns.
  • giờ / tiếng: Clock time or hours (What time is it?).
  • lúc / khi: A specific moment or point in time (e.g., "at that time"). By contrast, lần đó means "on that occurrence/occasion".

5. Common Pairings
Here are some highly common and essential vocabulary pairings with lần:

  • một lần nữa: one more time / again
  • mỗi lần: every time
  • nhiều lần: many times
  • lần này: this time
  • lần trước: last time
  • lần sau: next time

Examples (6)

  1. Tôi đã đi Hà Nội ba lần.

    I have been to Hanoi three times.

    Word by Word: I past go Hanoi three times.

    A standard sentence showing a number directly preceding 'lần' to count frequency.

  2. Bạn đã xem bộ phim này mấy lần rồi?

    How many times have you watched this movie already?

    Word by Word: Friend past watch classifier movie this how-many times already?

    Using the quantifier 'mấy' with 'lần' to ask about the frequency of an action.

  3. Đây là lần đầu tiên tôi ăn phở.

    This is the first time I have eaten pho.

    Word by Word: This be time first I eat pho.

    'Lần đầu tiên' is a fixed phrase meaning 'the first time'.

  4. Mỗi ngày tôi uống thuốc hai lần.

    I take medicine twice a day.

    Word by Word: Every day I drink medicine two times.

    Expressing routine frequency using 'hai lần' (two times / twice).

  5. Cái áo này đắt gấp ba lần.

    This shirt is three times as expensive.

    Word by Word: Classifier shirt this expensive multiply three times.

    When expressing multiplication (three times as much), the multiplier verb 'gấp' is required, but 'lần' itself is optional (you can say 'gấp ba' or 'gấp ba lần').

  6. Giá nhà bây giờ tăng gấp đôi.

    House prices have now doubled.

    Word by Word: Price house now increase multiply pair.

    To say 'twice' or 'double', Vietnamese often uses the special phrase 'gấp đôi', though 'gấp hai' or 'gấp hai lần' are also perfectly correct and widely used.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'thời gian' (duration/concept of time) instead of 'lần' to count occurrences.

    Tôi đã đến Việt Nam hai thời gian.
    Tôi đã đến Việt Nam hai lần.

    'Thời gian' refers to the abstract concept of time or a duration. When counting how many instances an event happened, you must use the event classifier 'lần'.

  • Using the general classifier 'cái' to count events.

    Hôm qua trời mưa ba cái.
    Hôm qua trời mưa ba lần.

    Cái counts physical objects (and blows, like đánh ba cái), but it does not count occurrences like rain. For how many times something happens, use lần.

How It Connects

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

lầnLevel 2Times (Counting Occasions)

Learn This First

To use 'lần' (times/occasions), you need to understand the basic Vietnamese counting frame where the counter follows the number. Since 'lần' is frequently used to describe how many times an action has been completed, familiarity with the past aspect marker 'đã' is also helpful.

Words in This Pattern

lần