với

With

Level 1

The word với is a very common preposition used to show who you are doing an action with, or who you are talking to.

How It Works

In Vietnamese, với is an essential preposition. It has several primary functions:

  • Accompaniment ('with'): It marks the person or entity that accompanies the subject. For example, đi với bạn (go with a friend). To emphasize doing something together, you can use the compound cùng với (along with).
  • Communication ('to'): It is the standard preposition used with verbs of speaking. For example, nói với translates to 'say to' or 'tell'. To say 'speak to' or 'speak with' (implying a conversation), use nói chuyện với.
  • Together ('với nhau'): When paired with nhau, it means doing something together.

As a Final Particle:
When placed at the end of a sentence, với acts as a particle to request inclusion (e.g., Cho tôi đi với! - Let me go too!) or to soften a request for help, adding a friendly, pleading tone (e.g., Giúp tôi với! - Please help me!).

Colloquial Usage:
While formal grammar uses và for 'and', native speakers overwhelmingly use với in everyday spoken Vietnamese to connect nouns (e.g., tôi với anh). However, với cannot be used to connect independent clauses or sequential verbs (e.g., you cannot say 'I went to the store với I bought an apple'). In Southern Vietnamese everyday speech, với is frequently pronounced and even texted as dới or dí. Additionally, với lại is commonly used to mean 'besides' or 'plus'.

As a Verb:
Với can also function as a verb meaning 'to reach (for)', such as với tay (to reach out one's hand).

Crucial Rule:
English speakers often use 'with' for tools (e.g., 'write with a pen'). In Vietnamese, với is primarily for accompaniment or interaction. For tools and instruments, you must use bằng. Note that với also appears in compound prepositions for perspective (đối với) and comparison (so với).

Examples (6)

  1. Tôi đi xem phim với bạn.

    I am going to watch a movie with a friend.

    Word by Word: I go watch movie with friend.

    This is the standard use of 'với' to show accompaniment.

  2. Cô ấy đang nói chuyện với mẹ.

    She is talking to her mother.

    Word by Word: She in-progress speak story with mother.

    For two-way conversations, 'nói chuyện với' is used. To simply 'say to' or 'tell', you would use 'nói với'.

  3. Tôi mua táo với cam.

    I bought apples and oranges.

    Word by Word: I buy apple with orange.

    In casual spoken Vietnamese, 'với' is frequently used as a coordinating conjunction meaning 'and'.

  4. Cho tôi đi với!

    Let me go too!

    Word by Word: Give I go with!

    When placed at the end of a sentence, 'với' acts as a particle to request inclusion in an activity.

  5. Chúng ta làm việc với nhau nhé.

    Let's work together.

    Word by Word: We do work with each-other soft-suggestion.

    Adding 'nhau' (each other) after 'với' creates the meaning of doing something 'together'.

  6. Trời mưa, với lại tôi cũng mệt.

    It is raining, plus I am also tired.

    Word by Word: Sky rain, with again I also tired.

    The phrase 'với lại' is a common colloquial way to say 'besides' or 'plus'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'với' for tools or instruments.

    Tôi ăn với đũa.
    Tôi ăn bằng đũa.

    English uses 'with' for both people ('with a friend') and tools ('with chopsticks'). In Vietnamese, với is only for people/accompaniment. For tools, you must use bằng (by means of).

  • Adding 'với' after transitive verbs.

    Tôi gặp với anh ấy.
    Tôi gặp anh ấy.

    Because English says 'meet with someone', learners often add với after the verb 'gặp' (to meet). However, 'gặp' is a transitive verb in Vietnamese and takes a direct object without a preposition.

How It Connects

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vớiLevel 1With

Learn This First

To use 'với' (with), you need to understand basic Vietnamese sentence structure and how to refer to people using pronouns, as this pattern typically connects an action to another person.

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