# Lắm: very, really in Vietnamese (A1)

> Lắm means "very" or "really", and it comes after the adjective: ngon lắm (really good), xa lắm (very far).

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/lam-very/ · Updated 2026-11-10

**very, really**

Pattern: `[adjective or feeling verb] + lắm`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: lam

*Lắm* means "very" or "really", and it comes after the adjective: *ngon lắm* (really good), *xa lắm* (very far). It means much the same as *rất*, but it's warmer and more conversational, and you'll hear it constantly in everyday speech.

It also follows words for feelings: *thích lắm* (like it a lot), *nhớ lắm* (miss a lot). When something follows the verb, *lắm* goes at the very end: *Em nhớ ba mẹ lắm.* I miss my parents a lot.

Unlike *rất*, *lắm* works in questions and after *không*. *Xa lắm không?* or *Có xa lắm không?* asks "Is it very far?", and *không xa lắm* means "not very far". This *không … lắm* is also the gentle way to say no: *Không ngon lắm* is a polite "not great".

In Hà Nội you'll also hear *lắm* before a noun, meaning "lots of": *lắm việc*. In Saigon people say *nhiều việc*.

## A common mistake

✗ Cà phê này lắm ngon.

✓ Cà phê này ngon lắm.

*Lắm* comes after the adjective. If you want the word in front, use *rất*: *rất ngon*.

## Examples

- Cà phê này ngon lắm. — This coffee is really good.
- Saigon: Em nhớ ba mẹ lắm. | Hà Nội: Em nhớ bố mẹ lắm. — I miss my parents a lot.
- Chợ có xa lắm không anh? — Is the market very far?
- Không xa lắm. — Not very far.
- Hôm nay tôi mệt lắm. — I'm really tired today.

## Words in this pattern

- [lắm](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/lam-very/#lx_lam): very

## Compare

- [Very: rất before the adjective](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/rat-very/): very
- [Not very: không … lắm](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khong-lam-not-very/): not very

Previous in How much, and comparing: [The most: adjective + nhất](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/nhat-most/)
Next in How much, and comparing: [Very: rất before the adjective](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/rat-very/)

---

Add to Vietnamese Buddy: https://app.vietnamesebuddy.com/waitlist?source=grammar%3Au_lam_very
In the app, the grammar points from your own class material are kept with their status, and any word you meet while reading can go into your lexicon with its audio, ready to study.