# Not clearly vs not exactly in Vietnamese (A2)

> You know that a describing word after the verb says how something is done: nói giỏi, speak well.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/negation-manner/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**where không goes with a manner word**

Pattern: `[person] + không + [verb] + [adjective] · [person] + [verb] + không + [adjective]`

Level: A2 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

You know that a describing word after the verb says how something is done: *nói giỏi*, speak well. To say it isn't done well, put *không* right before the describing word: *Em hát không hay.* I don't sing well. *Tối qua em ngủ không ngon.* I didn't sleep well last night. On the phone, *Em nghe không rõ* means "I can't hear you clearly". Add *lắm* to soften it: *nói không giỏi lắm*, not very well.

*Không* can also go before the verb, as usual. Then it denies the whole action, not just the quality, and the meaning changes. *Chị ấy nói không rõ* means she doesn't speak clearly: she's hard to understand. *Chị ấy không nói rõ* means she didn't say exactly: she left out the details. In the same way, *Xe này chạy không nhanh* says the car just isn't fast, while *Anh Minh không lái xe nhanh* tends to mean that Minh doesn't drive fast, as a habit or a choice.

So to describe how well someone does something, put *không* before the describing word. For the modest answer to a compliment, *chưa* (not yet) goes in the same place: *Em nói chưa giỏi lắm.*

## Examples

- Em hát không hay lắm. — I'm not a very good singer.
- Alo, em nghe không rõ. — Hello? I can't hear you clearly.
- Tối qua em ngủ không ngon. — I didn't sleep well last night.
- Saigon: Ảnh không nói rõ mấy giờ tới. | Hà Nội: Anh ấy không nói rõ mấy giờ đến. — He didn't say exactly what time he's coming.

## Compare

- [How you do it: adjective after the verb (nói giỏi, chạy nhanh)](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/manner-adj-after-verb/): how: well, fast, slowly
- [Not: không before the verb or adjective](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khong-not/): not

Previous in Saying no and not: [No way, there's no such thing: Làm gì có …!](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/lam-gi-co/)
Next in Saying no and not: [Almost, hardly: gần như, hầu như (không)](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/hau-nhu-almost/)

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