Vietnamese Grammar Bank
THE MORE…THE MORE IN VIETNAMESE
In Vietnamese, we use certain patterns to express the idea of “the more… the more.”
This structure highlights a correlation between two actions or states, often showing an increase in one thing as another increases.
CÀNG…CÀNG…
This is the most common pattern for expressing “the more… the more.” It is used to indicate that as one thing increases, another thing increases as well.
STRUCTURE #1
PATTERN
Càng + [Verb], Càng + [Verb]
For example:
| Em càng chạy, em càng đổ mồ hôi | The more you run, the more you sweat |
| Em càng nghe nhạc, em càng có hứng thú làm bài | The more you listen to music, the more excitement you have in doing homework |
View More Examples
| Anh càng quan tâm em, em càng yêu anh | The more you care, the more I love you |
| Anh càng la em, em càng không nói chuyện với anh | The more you shout at me, the less I talk to you |
| Tôi càng không làm việc, tôi càng lười biếng | The more I do nothing, the lazier I become |
| Tôi càng ăn mặn, tôi càng uống nước nhiều | The more I eat salted, the more water I drink |
STRUCTURE #2
PATTERN
Càng + [Adjective], Càng + [Adjective]
For example:
| Bạn càng già, bạn càng đẹp | The older you get, the more beautiful you are |
| Trời càng nóng, tôi càng khó chịu | The hotter the weather is, the more uncomfortable I am |
View More Examples
| Tôi càng bệnh, tôi càng mệt | The more my sickness is, the more tired I feel |
| Bạn càng lớn, bạn càng thông minh | The older you get, the smarter you are |
| Bạn càng già, bạn càng yếu | The older you get, the weaker you are |
| Bạn càng tức giận, bạn càng mệt | The angrier you get, the more tired you feel |
STRUCTURE #3
PATTERN
Càng + [Adjective/Verb], Càng + [Adjective/Verb]
For example:
| Càng học nhiều, điểm số càng tốt | The older you get, the more you understand |
| Càng luyện tập nhiều, càng giỏi hơn | The more you study, the better your grades will be |
View More Examples
| Càng lớn tuổi, càng hiểu biết nhiều hơn | The more you practice, the better you become |
| Càng lạnh, càng cần áo ấm. | The colder it gets, the more we need warm clothes |
| Càng làm việc chăm chỉ, càng thành công hơn | The harder you work, the more successful you will be. |
| Càng nghe nhạc nhiều, tôi càng thích nó hơn | The more I listen to the music, the more I like it |
Learn Vietnamese with FlexiClasses
Book online classes with the best teachers in the industry.
FAQs
Can “càng…càng” be used with both verbs and adjectives?
Yes, “càng…càng” can be used with both verbs and adjectives to express increasing intensity or correlation between two actions or states.
Is word order important when using “càng…càng”?
Yes, the structure follows a clear pattern: càng + subject + verb/adjective, càng + subject + verb/adjective.
Maintaining proper word order ensures clarity and correctness.
Can I omit the second subject in “càng…càng” sentences?
Yes, if the subject remains the same in both clauses, you can omit the second one.
For example: Càng học, càng giỏi.
What is the difference between “càng…càng” and “mỗi lúc một”?
Both express intensification over time, but “càng…càng” highlights a correlation between two factors, while “mỗi lúc một” focuses on a single action or state increasing over time.
Can “càng…càng” be used in negative sentences?
Yes, but it’s less common. You can express a decreasing trend or worsening condition, e.g., Càng nói, càng sai (“The more you speak, the more wrong you are”).
Can I learn in Vietnam with LTL?
Yes, you can!
You can study with us in Saigon or Hanoi, in both group or individual classes.
You’ll even have the opportunity to live with a Vietnamese family, thanks to our homestays.