# Được + noun / bị + noun: receive / suffer in Vietnamese

> Before a noun, được and bị are verbs of their own. Được means "get, receive" something you're glad of: Con được điểm mười! I got a ten!

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/duoc-bi-receive/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**receive / suffer**

Pattern: `[person] + được + [good thing] · [person] + bị + [bad thing]`

Level: A2 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: duoc, bi

Variants:

- được + number (has reached)

Before a noun, *được* and *bị* are verbs of their own. *Được* means "get, receive" something you're glad of: *Con được điểm mười!* I got a ten! *Bị* means "get" something you'd rather not have: *Nó bị điểm ba.* He got a three. The feeling decides the word.

*Được* goes with presents, prizes and good marks: *Sinh nhật năm nay em được nhiều quà lắm.* I got lots of presents for my birthday this year. *Bị* goes with accidents and trouble: *Anh ấy bị tai nạn xe máy.* He had a motorbike accident.

Before an amount of time, *được* says how far you've got: *Em học tiếng Việt được sáu tháng rồi.* I've been learning Vietnamese for six months now. *Bé được ba tuổi rồi.* She's three now. It sounds like a small milestone reached, usually with *rồi* at the end.

Before a verb, the same two words say what was done to someone: *Em được khen* (I was praised), *Em bị phạt* (I got fined). Before an illness, *bị* says you're unwell: *bị cảm*. Those are neighbouring patterns.

## Examples

- Saigon: Con được điểm mười, má ơi! | Hà Nội: Con được điểm mười, mẹ ơi! — Mum, I got a ten!
- Sinh nhật năm nay em được nhiều quà lắm. — I got lots of presents for my birthday this year.
- Anh ấy bị tai nạn xe máy. — He had a motorbike accident.
- Em học tiếng Việt được sáu tháng rồi. — I've been learning Vietnamese for six months now.

## Compare

- [Passive for good things: được + (doer) + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/duoc-passive/): is …ed (welcome)
- [Being ill or in a bad state: bị + illness or adjective](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/bi-bad-state/): suffer from

Previous in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [Even X: (ngay) cả … cũng](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/ngay-ca-even/)
Next in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [Give someone something: cho / tặng + person + thing](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/cho-give-order/)

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