# Mà không: without (doing) in Vietnamese (B1)

> English "without" before an action has no single word to copy. Vietnamese says the first action, then mà không and the action that didn't happen: Ảnh đi…

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/ma-khong-without/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**without (doing)**

Pattern: `[verb 1] + mà không + [verb 2] · không thể + [A] + mà không + [B]`

Level: B1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: ma khong

Variants:

- không thể … mà không (can't … without)

English "without" before an action has no single word to copy. Vietnamese says the first action, then *mà không* and the action that didn't happen: *Ảnh đi về mà không chào ai.* He went home without saying goodbye to anyone (in Hà Nội, *anh ấy*). The order is the same as in English.

This is the *mà* you know as "and yet": the second action was expected, and it didn't happen. So the pattern often carries surprise or a complaint: *Sao em lấy mà không hỏi chị?* Why did you take it without asking me? *Em ký hợp đồng mà không đọc kỹ hả?* You signed the contract without reading it properly?

With *không thể* (can't) in front, it makes a strong rule: *Không thể tới Sài Gòn mà không ăn cơm tấm.* You can't come to Saigon without eating cơm tấm.

After a pause, *mà* is sometimes left out: *Ảnh bỏ đi, không nói một lời.* He walked off without a word.

When you order food or drink, plain *không* before the thing is enough: *cà phê không đường*, coffee without sugar. That's a simpler pattern of its own.

## A common mistake

✗ Mà không nói gì, ảnh đi về.

✓ Ảnh đi về mà không nói gì.

*Mà không* hangs on the action before it, so it can't open the sentence the way "Without a word, …" can in English. Say what was done first.

## Examples

- Saigon: Ảnh đi về mà không chào ai. | Hà Nội: Anh ấy đi về mà không chào ai. — He went home without saying goodbye to anyone.
- Sao em lấy mà không hỏi chị? — Why did you take it without asking me?
- Em ký hợp đồng mà không đọc kỹ hả? — You signed the contract without reading it properly?
- Không thể tới Sài Gòn mà không ăn cơm tấm. — You can't come to Saigon without eating cơm tấm.

## Compare

- [Without, when ordering: dish + không + ingredient](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khong-without-ordering/): without (an ingredient)
- [But (unexpectedly), and yet: mà](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/ma-but-unexpected/): but / yet

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