Vietnamese Grammar

Grammar

Vietnamese, like many languages in Southeast Asia, is an analytic (or isolating) language. Vietnamese does not use morphological marking of case, gender, number or tense (and, as a result, has no finite/nonfinite distinction). 

Also like other languages in the region, Vietnamese syntax conforms to subject–verb–object word order, is head-initial (displaying modified-modifier ordering), and has a noun classifier system. Additionally, it is pro-drop, wh-in-situ, and allows verb serialization. Some Vietnamese sentences with English word glosses and translations are provided below.

Mai là sinh viên.
Mai be student
"Mai is a student." (College student)

Giáp rất cao.
Giap very tall
"Giap is very tall."

Người đó là anh nó.
person that be brother he
"That person is his brother."

Con chó này chẳng bao giờ sủa cả.
classifier dog this not ever bark at.all
"This dog never barks at all."

Nó chỉ ăn cơm Việt Nam thôi.
he only eat rice.colloquial Vietnam only
"He only eats Vietnamese food."

Cái thằng chồng em nó chẳng ra gì.
focus classifier husband I (as wife) he not turn.out what
"That husband of mine, he is good for nothing."

Tôi thích con ngựa đen.
I (generic) like classifier horse black
"I like the black horse."

Tôi thích cái con ngựa đen.
I (generic) like focus classifier horse black
"I like any black horses."

~Info courtesy of Wikipedia~