Vietnamese · KNLTV Bậc 1 (A1) · Chapter 3
Tôi là sinh viênI'm a student
Your first sentence: S là N. "là" links a subject to a noun — but it is dropped before adjectives (Tôi khỏe, not Tôi là khỏe). Learn to ask and give names and jobs, and to question with "gì". Tom — a learner like you — appears and makes mistakes for us to fix together.
Dialogue
i
Study this section in the Bookverse app
- Spaced repetition schedules your reviews
- Practice tasks with pass tracking
- A teacher on every study screen
- Progress saved across chapters and devices — laptop and phone
- Audio playback for dialogues and words
- Speaking practice with feedback
- Search dictionaries and chat with AI, all inside the app
Sign up and start studying in the Bookverse app.
You will be asked to register first.
Tôi là Nam— I'm Nam
- NamChào bạn! Tôi là Nam.Hi! I'm Nam.
- TomChào Nam! Tôi là Tom.Hi, Nam! I'm Tom.
- NamTôi là sinh viên. Và bạn?I'm a student. And you?
- TomTôi là sinh viên. Rất vui gặp bạn!I'm a student too. Nice to meet you!
Dialogue
i
Study this section in the Bookverse app
- Spaced repetition schedules your reviews
- Practice tasks with pass tracking
- A teacher on every study screen
- Progress saved across chapters and devices — laptop and phone
- Audio playback for dialogues and words
- Speaking practice with feedback
- Search dictionaries and chat with AI, all inside the app
Sign up and start studying in the Bookverse app.
You will be asked to register first.
Không "là" trước tính từ— No "là" before an adjective
- LinhChào Tom! Bạn khỏe không?Hi, Tom! How are you?
- TomTôi là khỏe!(wrong) "Tôi là khỏe!" — he adds "là" before the adjective khỏe.
- LinhKhông "là"! Khỏe là tính từ. "Tôi khỏe".No "là"! Khỏe is an adjective. Say "Tôi khỏe".
- TomÀ! Tôi khỏe. Cảm ơn bạn!Ah! I'm well. Thank you!
Vocabulary
i
Study this section in the Bookverse app
- Spaced repetition schedules your reviews
- Practice tasks with pass tracking
- A teacher on every study screen
- Progress saved across chapters and devices — laptop and phone
- Audio playback for dialogues and words
- Speaking practice with feedback
- Search dictionaries and chat with AI, all inside the app
Sign up and start studying in the Bookverse app.
You will be asked to register first.
- tôi
pronounI, me
- mình
pronounI/me (intimate)
- là
verbto be (copula)
- tên
nounname
- người
nounperson
- sinh viên
noun(university) student
- học sinh
noun(school) pupil
- gì
pronounwhat
- và
conjunctionand
- của
prepositionof, 's
- nghề
nounjob, occupation
Grammar
i
Study this section in the Bookverse app
- Spaced repetition schedules your reviews
- Practice tasks with pass tracking
- A teacher on every study screen
- Progress saved across chapters and devices — laptop and phone
- Audio playback for dialogues and words
- Speaking practice with feedback
- Search dictionaries and chat with AI, all inside the app
Sign up and start studying in the Bookverse app.
You will be asked to register first.
S là N — sentences with a noun
Explanation
"là" links a subject to a NOUN: Tôi là sinh viên = I am a student. The order is like English (S + là + N). BUT there is one big rule: drop "là" before an ADJECTIVE. Say "Tôi khỏe" (I am well), never "Tôi là khỏe". An adjective is its own predicate — no "là" needed.
Examples
- Tôi là sinh viên.I am a student.
- Tôi là Nam.I am Nam.
- Bạn là học sinh.You are a pupil.
- Tôi khỏe. (không có "là" — khỏe là tính từ)I am well. (no "là" — khỏe is an adjective)
- Tôi vui. (tính từ — không "là")I am glad. (adjective — no "là")
Grammar
i
Study this section in the Bookverse app
- Spaced repetition schedules your reviews
- Practice tasks with pass tracking
- A teacher on every study screen
- Progress saved across chapters and devices — laptop and phone
- Audio playback for dialogues and words
- Speaking practice with feedback
- Search dictionaries and chat with AI, all inside the app
Sign up and start studying in the Bookverse app.
You will be asked to register first.
gì — asking "what" (in place)
Explanation
The question word "gì" (what) stays exactly WHERE the answer will go — it does not jump to the front as in English. "Tên của bạn là gì?" follows the same order as "Tên của bạn là [X]". You just put [X] = gì. Use "của" for possession: tên của bạn = your name. Answer by replacing gì with the real information.
Examples
- Tên của bạn là gì?What is your name?
- Tên của tôi là Nam.My name is Nam.
- Nghề của bạn là gì?What is your job?
- Tôi là sinh viên.I am a student.
Script & tones
i
Study this section in the Bookverse app
- Spaced repetition schedules your reviews
- Practice tasks with pass tracking
- A teacher on every study screen
- Progress saved across chapters and devices — laptop and phone
- Audio playback for dialogues and words
- Speaking practice with feedback
- Search dictionaries and chat with AI, all inside the app
Sign up and start studying in the Bookverse app.
You will be asked to register first.
Ôn thanh điệu: là / la / lá— Tone Review: là / la / lá
Same sound, different tone, different meaning — using this chapter's own words:
- langang (level)to shout / to scold
- làhuyền (falling)to be (copula) — this chapter
- lásắc (rising)a leaf
- tôingang (level)I, me — this chapter
- tốisắc (rising)evening / dark
Read the chapter's key sentence, keeping the huyền tone on "là" nice and low and smooth:
Want to actually learn this — with audio, spaced repetition and progress tracking?
Study in the app →