# Hễ … là: whenever in Vietnamese (B2)

> Hễ … là means "whenever, every time": as soon as the first thing happens, the second follows, without fail.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/he-whenever/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**whenever**

Pattern: `Hễ (cứ) + [sentence] + là / thì + [sentence]`

Level: B2 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: he … la

*Hễ … là* means "whenever, every time": as soon as the first thing happens, the second follows, without fail. *Hễ trời mưa là đường này ngập*, whenever it rains, this street floods.

*Hễ* goes at the start of the first half, before or after the person: *Hễ thấy kem là nó đòi mua* or *Nó hễ thấy kem là đòi mua*. The second half usually starts with *là*, or with *thì*, which sounds a little more neutral. Without one of them the sentence can sound unfinished, so keep the pair while you're learning. Adding *cứ* makes it stronger, every single time: *Hễ cứ uống cà phê buổi chiều là tối em mất ngủ.*

It's for habits, patterns and things that happen predictably, and it often carries a small sigh, as if you've seen it a hundred times. It also works for an offer that stands at any time: *Hễ có chuyện gì thì gọi chị nha*, if anything at all comes up, call me.

The close everyday neighbours are *cứ … là* (*Cứ tới Tết là kẹt xe*, every Tết the traffic jams up) and *mỗi lần … là* (each time). Plain *khi* (when) only says when something happens; *hễ* says it happens every time.

## Examples

- Hễ trời mưa là đường này ngập. — Whenever it rains, this street floods.
- Saigon: Thằng nhỏ hễ thấy kem là đòi mua. | Hà Nội: Thằng bé hễ thấy kem là đòi mua. — Whenever the little boy sees ice cream, he asks for some.
- Hễ cứ uống cà phê buổi chiều là tối em mất ngủ. — Every single time I have coffee in the afternoon, I can't sleep at night.
- Saigon: Hễ có chuyện gì thì gọi chị nha. | Hà Nội: Hễ có chuyện gì thì gọi chị nhé. — If anything at all comes up, call me, OK?

## Compare

- [Once (when and if): một khi](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/mot-khi-once/): once

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