When you want to inquire about the duration of time that has passed since a certain event or action, you can use the phrases “bao lâu rồi?” or “đã lâu chưa?” in Vietnamese. Both of these phrases translate to “How long?” in English.
Grammar and Example
a/ bao lâu rồi?
Subject + (đã) Verb + bao lâu rồi?
1. The interrogative word bao lâu “how long” is used at the end of a question about a quantity of time during which an action took place and was completed in the past:
Anh học tiếng Việt bao lâu? = How long did you study Vietnamese?
Tôi học tiếng Việt hai năm. = I studied Vietnamese for two years.
2. The word rồi is added to express an action which started in the past and is continuing in the present.
Anh ở Việt Nam bao lâu rồi? = How long have you been in Vietnam?
Tôi ở Việt Nam hai năm rồi. = I've been in Vietnam for 2 years.
3. The particle "bao lâu" is a common expression in Vietnamese that can be used to indicate a duration of time. It is often translated to "how long" in English.
Note: that "bao lâu" is commonly used with the present tense of the verb, but it can also be used with the past or future tense.
Subject + (Sẽ) Verb + bao lâu?
Bao lâu (nữa)+ Subject + (sẽ) Verb?
Hôm nay anh sẽ làm việc bao lâu? = How long will you work today?
Bao lâu nữa xe buýt đến? = In how long will the bus arrive?
b/ đã lâu chưa?
Subject + Verb + (đã) lâu chưa?
....Đã lâu chưa ? = Have you ........ for a long time?
This question is quite similar to the "how long" question.
But For this question, you have 2 way to answer.
You can answer "yes" or "no".
Or you can answer the same as the "how long" question.
- Anh lấy vợ lâu chưa? = Have you married for a long time?
=> Rồi, lâu rồi. = Yes, long time.
=> Anh lấy vợ 2 năm rồi = I've married 2 years already
Em chờ anh lâu chưa? = Have you waited me for a long time?
=> Không, em vừa đến. => No, I just arrived
=> Em chờ anh 5 phút rồi. => I've waited for 5 minutes.
lấy vợ / lấy chồng | get marry |
xe buýt | bus |
bao lâu rồi? | for how long already? |
bao lâu nữa .....? | in how long...? |
lâu | long (long time) |
xe buýt | bus |
đến | come, arrive |
học | learn |
làm việc | to work |
hôm nay | today |
chờ, đợi | wait |
vừa đến | just arrived |
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