# Verb + đã: first (before something else) in Vietnamese

> At the very end of a sentence, đã means "first, before anything else": Để anh suy nghĩ đã. Let me think about it first.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/da-first/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**first (before something else)**

Pattern: `[verb] + đã (rồi + hãy / hẵng + [verb 2])`

Level: B1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: da

At the very end of a sentence, *đã* means "first, before anything else": *Để anh suy nghĩ đã.* Let me think about it first. This isn't the *đã* you know before a verb, which says something happened. The place tells you which: before the verb it's the past, at the end it's "first".

It's often used to put something off for a moment, and goes well with *để* (let me): *Để em uống ly cà phê đã.* Let me have a coffee first. *Khoan đã!* is the set phrase for "Hold on!".

What comes next follows with *rồi* (then): *Ăn cơm đã, rồi tính.* Let's eat first, then we'll work it out. *Rồi hãy* says "and only then": *Học xong đã rồi hãy đi chơi.* Finish studying first, then go out. In Hà Nội the casual form is *rồi hẵng*. Saigon speakers often add *cái* before *đã*: *Để em ăn cái đã.*

Compare *trước* (before others): *Anh ăn trước đi* means "you go ahead and eat, before us". *Đã* puts one thing before the next thing you're going to do.

## Examples

- Saigon: Để em uống ly cà phê đã. | Hà Nội: Để em uống cốc cà phê đã. — Let me have a coffee first.
- Để anh suy nghĩ đã. — Let me think about it first.
- Ăn cơm đã, rồi tính. — Let's eat first, then we'll work it out.
- Saigon: Học xong đã rồi hãy đi chơi. | Hà Nội: Học xong đã rồi hẵng đi chơi. — Finish your studying first, then go out.

## Compare

- [Saying it already happened: đã](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/da-past/): did / has done

Previous in Time and when things happen: [Completely, for good: verb + hẳn](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/han-completely/)
Next in Time and when things happen: [Finishing off the rest: verb + cho hết, cho xong / nốt](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/not-finish-off/)

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