# Cả … lẫn / cả … và: both … and (nouns) in Vietnamese

> For "both … and" with two people or things, put cả before the first and lẫn or và before the second: cả phở lẫn bún bò, both phở and bún bò.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/ca-lan-both/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**both … and (nouns)**

Pattern: `cả + [noun 1] + lẫn / và + [noun 2] (+ đều + [verb])`

Level: A2 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: ca … lan, ca … va

For "both … and" with two people or things, put *cả* before the first and *lẫn* or *và* before the second: *cả phở lẫn bún bò*, both phở and bún bò. *Lẫn* stresses that neither one is left out; *và* is plainer. Both are fine in speech.

When the pair does something, it comes first, and *đều* (alike) goes before the verb: *Cả ba lẫn mẹ em đều là giáo viên.* Both my dad and my mum are teachers (in Hà Nội, *bố*). When the pair is what you like, buy or speak, it goes after the verb and needs no *đều*: *Chị ấy nói được cả tiếng Anh và tiếng Pháp.*

If the two have just been mentioned, say *cả hai*: *Cả hai đều ngon.* They're both good.

*Cả … lẫn* joins nouns. For two qualities of the same thing, or two actions at once, use *vừa … vừa*: *Phòng này vừa rộng vừa sạch.*

## A common mistake

✗ Phòng này cả rộng lẫn sạch.

✓ Phòng này vừa rộng vừa sạch.

*Cả … lẫn* joins two people or things. For two qualities of one thing, use *vừa … vừa*.

## Examples

- Em thích cả phở lẫn bún bò. — I like both phở and bún bò.
- Saigon: Cả ba lẫn mẹ em đều là giáo viên. | Hà Nội: Cả bố lẫn mẹ em đều là giáo viên. — Both my dad and my mum are teachers.
- Chị ấy nói được cả tiếng Anh và tiếng Pháp. — She speaks both English and French.
- Cả hai món đều ngon. — Both dishes are good.

## Compare

- [Both … and, at the same time: vừa … vừa](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/vua-vua/): both … and / while

Previous in Linking ideas: [Both … and, at the same time: vừa … vừa](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/vua-vua/)
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