Muốn, cần, phải: quy tắc, ví dụ và bài tập | Vietnamese Grammar A1

Muốn, cần, phải

A1 — Cấu trúc câu

Want/need/must: modal-like words before verbs

Can express want, need, obligation, and ability using muốn, cần, phải, nên, có thể

Want/need/must: modal-like words before verbs

Examples

Tôi muốn uống cà phê. — I want to drink coffee.
Bạn phải học tiếng Việt mỗi ngày. — You must study Vietnamese every day.
Bạn có thể nói chậm hơn không? — Can you speak more slowly?

Cấu trúc câuA1

Want/Need/Must

Modals: muốn, cần, phải, nên, có thể

Learning Goal

Can express modality

Exam Skills:NóiViết

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Tôi muốn uống cà phê.

I want to drink coffee.

Bạn phải học tiếng Việt mỗi ngày.

You must study Vietnamese every day.

Bạn có thể nói chậm hơn không?

Can you speak more slowly?

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Muốn, cần, phải — Want, Need, Must

These three words go BEFORE the main verb, like English modals.

Word	Meaning	Example
muốn	want (to)	Tôi muốn ăn. (I want to eat.)
cần	need (to)	Tôi cần nước. (I need water.)
phải	must/have to	Bạn phải đi. (You must go.)
nên	should	Bạn nên học. (You should study.)
có thể	can/may	Tôi có thể giúp. (I can help.)

No 'to'! Unlike English 'want TO eat', Vietnamese: muốn ăn (want eat). No connecting word needed.

Negation: không + modal: Tôi không muốn ăn = I don't want to eat. Bạn không cần đi = You don't need to go.

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Adding a 'to' equivalent between modal and verb. 🇬🇧 English speakers: Try to add *để between muốn and verb (like 'to'): *muốn để ăn instead of muốn ăn. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German uses 'zu' with infinitives. Vietnamese: just modal + verb, no connector.

Common Error Patterns

Added a 'to' word between modal and verb

No connector between modal and verb: muốn ăn (want eat), NOT *muốn để ăn.

Tôi muốn uống cà phê.

I want to drink coffee.

muốn + verb directly, no 'to'. muốn uống = want drink = want to drink.

Bạn phải học tiếng Việt mỗi ngày.

You must study Vietnamese every day.

phải = must/have to. Stronger than nên (should). phải + verb = must do.

Bạn có thể nói chậm hơn không?

Can you speak more slowly?

có thể = can/may. Essential travel phrase! nói chậm hơn = speak slower (speak slow more).

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Put it into practice

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Frequently asked questions

When is Muốn, cần, phải used?: These three words go BEFORE the main verb, like English modals.
How is Muốn, cần, phải formed?: No 'to'! Unlike English 'want TO eat', Vietnamese: muốn ăn (want eat). No connecting word needed. Negation: không + modal: Tôi không muốn ăn = I don't want to eat. Bạn không cần đi = You don't need to go.
What are common mistakes with Muốn, cần, phải?: Adding a 'to' equivalent between modal and verb. 🇬🇧 English speakers: Try to add *để between muốn and verb (like 'to'): *muốn để ăn instead of muốn ăn. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German uses 'zu' with infinitives. Vietnamese: just modal + verb, no connector. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian хотеть + infinitive is similar structure. Fairly natural. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech chtít + infinitive is similar. Fairly natural.