# Được: allowed to / get the chance to in Vietnamese (A2)

> Được before a verb means you're allowed to do something, or that you get the chance to, as something good that comes your way: Hôm nay em được về sớm.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/duoc-before-verb/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**allowed to / get the chance to**

Pattern: `[person] + được + [verb]`

Level: A2 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: duoc

Variants:

- được phép (formal)

*Được* before a verb means you're allowed to do something, or that you get the chance to, as something good that comes your way: *Hôm nay em được về sớm.* I'm allowed to go home early today. *Năm nay em được đi Nhật.* I get to go to Japan this year.

You already know one example: *Rất vui được gặp chị*, very nice to meet you, literally "very glad to get to meet you".

To ask whether something is allowed, use *có … không*: *Ở đây có được hút thuốc không?* Is smoking allowed here? The answer is *được* or *không được*. On formal notices you'll see *được phép*, "be permitted". *Không được* before a verb means "mustn't"; it has its own page.

Watch the order. Before the verb, *được* is about permission and luck; after it, it's about ability: *Em được đi* is "I'm allowed to go", *Em đi được* is "I can go".

With a person between *được* and the verb, something is done to you, usually something nice: *Em được thầy khen*, the teacher praised me. *Bị* in the same place is for bad luck.

## Examples

- Rất vui được gặp chị. — Very nice to meet you.
- Năm nay em được đi Nhật. — I get to go to Japan this year.
- Hôm nay em được về sớm. — I'm allowed to go home early today.
- Ở đây có được hút thuốc không anh? — Is smoking allowed here?

## Words in this pattern

- [được](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/duoc-can/#s_duoc_get_to): get to

## Compare

- [Can, manage to: được after the verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/duoc-can-after-verb/): be able to
- [Passive for good things: được + (doer) + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/duoc-passive/): is …ed (welcome)
- [Must not: không được + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khong-duoc-must-not/): must not, not allowed

Previous in Can, must, should, want: [Want to: muốn + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/muon-want/)
Next in Can, must, should, want: [Cannot: không thể](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khong-the-cannot/)

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