Vietnamese Verb "ăn" — to eat

ăn

to eat

Type

Action verb

Patterns

6 tense/aspect forms

Simple / Bare Verb

The bare verb with no marker. Context determines whether it refers to present, past, or habitual action.

Simple statement

Structure: Subject + ăn

Tôi ăn.

I eat / I ate.

Past / Completed (đã)

The marker "đã" before the verb explicitly marks a completed action or past event.

Completed marker: đã

Structure: Subject + đã + ăn

Tôi đã ăn.

I ate / I have eaten.

Progressive (đang)

The marker "đang" expresses an action currently in progress.

Progressive marker: đang

Structure: Subject + đang + ăn

Tôi đang ăn.

I am eating.

Future (sẽ)

The marker "sẽ" expresses a future action or intention.

Future marker: sẽ

Structure: Subject + sẽ + ăn

Tôi sẽ ăn.

I will eat.

Negative (không / chưa)

"Không" negates the verb generally. "Chưa" means "not yet" — implying the action may happen later.

Negative marker: không

Structure: Subject + không + ăn

Tôi không ăn thịt.

I don't eat meat.

Not yet marker: chưa

Structure: Subject + chưa + ăn

Tôi chưa ăn.

I haven't eaten yet.

Experience / Other (đã từng / vẫn)

"Đã từng" marks past experience ("have ever done"). "Vẫn" means "still" for ongoing states.

Experience marker: đã từng

Structure: Subject + đã từng + ăn

Bạn đã từng ăn phở chưa?

Have you ever eaten pho?

Example Sentences

Bạn ăn cơm chưa?

Have you eaten rice yet? (common greeting)

Chúng ta đi ăn!

Let's go eat!

Tôi đang ăn phở.

I am eating pho.