# Đừng: don't in Vietnamese (A1)

> Đừng before a verb tells someone not to do something: Đừng lo. Don't worry. Putting the person first sounds kinder, and nha at the end softens it…

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/dung-dont/ · Updated 2026-11-10

**don't**

Pattern: `(person) + đừng + [verb] · Đừng có (mà) + [verb]! · Đừng + [verb] + nữa`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: dung

Variants:

- đừng có (mà) (emphatic warning)
- Ấy, đừng …

*Đừng* before a verb tells someone not to do something: *Đừng lo.* Don't worry. Putting the person first sounds kinder, and *nha* at the end softens it further: *Chị đừng lo nha* (in Hà Nội, *nhé*).

*Đừng* is for telling or asking someone not to do something. With *mình* it means "let's not" (*Mình đừng đi nữa*), and it turns up in wishes too: *Mong mai đừng mưa.* I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow. To say what you don't do, use *không*: "I don't eat meat" is *Tôi không ăn thịt*.

To say "stop doing it", add *nữa* (any more) at the end: *Đừng khóc nữa.* Don't cry any more.

*Đừng có* is stronger, a warning or a telling-off: *Đừng có đụng vô!* Don't touch it! (in Hà Nội, *Đừng có động vào!*). Adding *mà* makes it sharper still: *Đừng có mà quên!* Don't you forget!

In Saigon a warning often opens with *Thôi* or *Ê*: *Thôi, đừng mua nữa.* That's enough, don't buy any more. In Hà Nội you'll hear *Ấy, đừng …*

*Đi* at the end is the opposite: it urges someone to go ahead. On signs and in rules you'll see *cấm* or *không được* instead.

## A common mistake

✗ Tôi đừng ăn thịt.

✓ Tôi không ăn thịt.

*Đừng* tells someone not to do something. To say what you don't do, use *không*.

## Examples

- Saigon: Chị đừng lo nha. | Hà Nội: Chị đừng lo nhé. — Don't worry, OK?
- Saigon: Anh đừng chạy xe nhanh quá nha. | Hà Nội: Anh đừng đi xe nhanh quá nhé. — Don't ride too fast, OK?
- Đừng khóc nữa con. — Don't cry any more, sweetheart.
- Saigon: Đừng có đụng vô! | Hà Nội: Đừng có động vào! — Don't touch it!

## Words in this pattern

- [đừng](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/dung-don-t/#s_dung_don_t): don't

## Compare

- [Go on, do it / let's: verb + đi](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/di-urge/): do it! / let's
- [Must not: không được + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khong-duoc-must-not/): must not, not allowed
- [Prohibited (signs and rules): cấm, không + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/cam-prohibit/): no …ing / forbidden
- [Not: không before the verb or adjective](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khong-not/): not

Previous in Can, must, should, want: [Can, may: có thể + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-the-can/)
Next in Can, must, should, want: [Go on, do it / let's: verb + đi](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/di-urge/)

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