# Trên / dưới / trong / ngoài in Vietnamese (A1)

> These words say where something is: trên (on, above), dưới (under, below), trong (in, inside), ngoài (outside), trước (in front of), sau (behind), cạnh…

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/location-words/ · Updated 2026-11-09

**on / under / in / out / in front / behind / next to**

Pattern: `(ở) + trên / dưới / trong / ngoài / trước / sau / (bên) cạnh / giữa + [noun]`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: tren, duoi, trong, ngoai

These words say where something is: *trên* (on, above), *dưới* (under, below), *trong* (in, inside), *ngoài* (outside), *trước* (in front of), *sau* (behind), *cạnh* or *bên cạnh* (next to) and *giữa* (between). As in English, they go before the noun: *trên bàn* (on the table), *trong túi* (in the bag).

To say where something is, put *ở* in front: *Chìa khóa ở trên bàn.* The keys are on the table. After verbs of position such as *nằm* (lie) or *ngồi* (sit), *ở* can be left out: *Con chó nằm dưới bàn.* To ask, use *ở đâu*: *Chìa khóa ở đâu?* *Giữa* with two things joined by *và* means between: *giữa ngân hàng và chợ*, between the bank and the market. With one noun it means in the middle of: *giữa phòng*, in the middle of the room.

Used on their own, without a noun, they often take *bên* or *phía* in front: *bên ngoài* (outside), *phía sau* (at the back). *Trước* and *sau* also work for time: *trước bảy giờ*, before seven.

*Trong* and *ngoài* also map the country. The North is *ngoài Bắc*, "out in the North", and the South is *trong Nam*, "in the South".

## Examples

- Chìa khóa ở trên bàn. — The keys are on the table.
- Điện thoại em ở trong túi. — My phone's in my bag.
- Quán phở ở bên cạnh ngân hàng. — The phở place is next to the bank.
- Con chó nằm dưới bàn. — The dog is lying under the table.
- Saigon: Anh chờ em ở ngoài nha. | Hà Nội: Anh chờ em ở ngoài nhé. — Wait for me outside, okay?

## Words in this pattern

- [dưới](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/duoi-under/#lx_duoi): under
- [ngoài](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/ngoai-outside/#s_ngoai_outside): outside
- [sau](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/sau-after/#s_sau_behind): behind
- [trên](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/tren-on/#lx_tren): on
- [trong](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/trong-in/#lx_trong): in
- [trước](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/truoc-before/#s_truoc_in_front): in front

## Compare

- [Direction words follow the map and the speaker: ra Hà Nội, vô Sài Gòn, lên Đà Lạt, lên lầu](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/vao-ra-north-south/): which direction word for which place
- [At, in, live: ở](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/o-at/): be at / in

Previous in Places and movement: [Here, there: ở đây, ở đó, đằng kia](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/o-day-here/)
Next in Places and movement: [According to, in my opinion: theo](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/theo-according/)

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