{"id":4289,"date":"2026-04-20T19:17:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T10:17:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.vietcafe-learning.com\/material\/?p=4289"},"modified":"2026-04-20T19:17:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T10:17:14","slug":"grammar24","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.vietcafe-learning.com\/material\/grammar24\/","title":{"rendered":"Grammar 24: Potential Sentences: “can do ~”"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you want to express capability or possibility in Vietnamese, similar to English, you add modal verbs before or around the main verb. In English, words like “can” or “be able to” come before the verb. In Vietnamese, adding the modal verbs “c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 ~ \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c” or “bi\u1ebft” around the verb creates a sentence expressing capability or possibility.<\/p>\n

Distinguishing Between Modal Verbs<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

In English, “can” or “be able to” can express both “possibility\/feasibility”<\/strong> and “learned ability.”<\/strong> However, in Vietnamese, the modal verb used changes depending on the specific meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Modal Verbs<\/th>\nExplanation<\/th>\nExample Sentences<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 ~ \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c<\/td>\n\u2460 Feasible \/ Possible
\n\u2461 Learned ability \/ Skill<\/td>\n		\u2460 Ch\u1ecb \u1ea5y c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 \u0103n \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c \u0111\u1ed3 cay
\n(She can eat spicy food)
\n\u2461 T\u00f4i c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 n\u00f3i \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c ti\u1ebfng Anh
\n(I can speak English)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
bi\u1ebft<\/td>\nLearned ability \/ Skill (Know how to do something)<\/td>\nEm trai t\u00f4i bi\u1ebft b\u01a1i t\u1eeb khi 3 tu\u1ed5i
\n(My younger brother has known how to swim since he was 3)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Sentence Structures<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

I. Sentences with “c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 ~ \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c” \/ “kh\u00f4ng th\u1ec3 ~ \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c”<\/h3>\n

Affirmative Sentence \u2193<\/p>\n

Subject <\/strong>+ c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 <\/span><\/strong>+ Predicate <\/strong>(Verb) + \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c<\/strong><\/span> + Object \/ Complement<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

Negative Sentence \u2193<\/p>\n

Subject + kh\u00f4ng th\u1ec3 <\/span>+ Predicate <\/strong>(Verb) + \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c<\/span> + Object \/ Complement<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

Interrogative Sentence (Question) \u2193<\/p>\n

Subject + c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 <\/span>+ Predicate <\/strong>(Verb) + Object \/ Complement + \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c kh\u00f4ng?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

Example Sentences:<\/h3>\n
\n

\u2460 Anh \u1ea5y c\u00f3 th\u1ec3<\/span> n\u00f3i \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c<\/span> 3 ngo\u1ea1i ng\u1eef.
\n\u00a0 \u00a0He can speak 3 foreign languages.<\/p>\n

\u2461 M\u00e1y t\u00ednh n\u00e0y kh\u00f4ng th\u1ec3<\/span> s\u1eeda \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c<\/span>.
\n\u3000This computer cannot be fixed.<\/p>\n

\u2462 Em c\u00f3 th\u1ec3<\/span> \u0103n \u0111\u1eadu n\u00e0nh l\u00ean men \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c kh\u00f4ng?<\/span>
\n\u00a0 \u00a0Can you eat fermented soybeans?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

* In affirmative sentences, either “c\u00f3 th\u1ec3” or “\u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c” can be omitted.
\n\u3000Example: Anh \u1ea5y c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 <\/span>n\u00f3i<\/strong> ti\u1ebfng Vi\u1ec7t.
\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 or Anh \u1ea5y n\u00f3i<\/strong> \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c<\/span> ti\u1ebfng Vi\u1ec7t.<\/p>\n

II. Sentences with “bi\u1ebft” \/ “kh\u00f4ng bi\u1ebft”<\/h3>\n

Affirmative Sentence \u2193<\/p>\n

Subject <\/strong>+ bi\u1ebft<\/span> <\/strong>+ Predicate <\/strong>(Verb) + Object \/ Complement<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

Negative Sentence \u2193<\/p>\n

Subject + kh\u00f4ng bi\u1ebft<\/span> + Predicate <\/strong>(Verb) + Object \/ Complement<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

Interrogative Sentence (Question) \u2193<\/p>\n

Subject + bi\u1ebft<\/span> + Predicate <\/strong>(Verb) + Object \/ Complement + kh\u00f4ng?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

Example Sentences:<\/h3>\n
\n

\u2460 B\u1ed1 t\u00f4i bi\u1ebft<\/span> l\u00e1i xe.
\n\u00a0 \u00a0My father can drive (knows how to drive).<\/p>\n

\u2461 Anh t\u00f4i kh\u00f4ng bi\u1ebft<\/span> n\u1ea5u \u0103n.
\n\u3000My older brother cannot cook (doesn’t know how to cook).<\/p>\n

\u2462 Anh bi\u1ebft<\/span> \u0111\u1ecdc ch\u1eef H\u00e1n kh\u00f4ng?
\n\u3000Can you read Chinese characters?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

* Since speaking a foreign language requires learning, the modal verb “bi\u1ebft” can be used as in the following example.<\/p>\n

\u3000Example: Anh John bi\u1ebft<\/span> n\u00f3i ti\u1ebfng Vi\u1ec7t.
\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Mr. John can speak Vietnamese.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

QUIZ<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate modal verbs mentioned above (c\u00f3 th\u1ec3, kh\u00f4ng th\u1ec3, bi\u1ebft, kh\u00f4ng bi\u1ebft).<\/p>\n

\u2460 Anh \u1ea5y ____ h\u00e1t ti\u1ebfng Vi\u1ec7t.
\n\u00a0 \u00a0He can sing in Vietnamese.<\/p>\n

\u2461 T\u00f4i kh\u00f4ng ____ ch\u01a1i c\u1edd vua.
\n\u3000I cannot play chess.<\/p>\n

\u2462 Anh ____ ch\u1ea1y xe m\u00e1y kh\u00f4ng?
\n\u3000Can you ride a motorbike?
\n\u00a0 \u00a0 Kh\u00f4ng, t\u00f4i ____ ch\u1ea1y xe m\u00e1y.
\n\u3000No, I cannot ride a motorbike.<\/p>\n

\u2463 Ch\u1ecb \u1ea5y ____ \u0103n \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c h\u1ea3i s\u1ea3n.
\n\u3000She cannot eat seafood.<\/p>\n

\u2464 Em ____ n\u1ed9p b\u00e1o c\u00e1o trong ng\u00e0y mai \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c kh\u00f4ng?
\n\u3000 Can you submit the report by tomorrow?
\n\u00a0 \u00a0 V\u00e2ng, em s\u1ebd n\u1ed9p b\u00e1o c\u00e1o trong ng\u00e0y mai.
\n\u3000 Yes, I will submit the report by tomorrow.<\/p>\n

Go to Quiz Answers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

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