# Sẽ: will in Vietnamese (A1)

> Sẽ before a verb says something will happen: Em sẽ gọi lại cho anh. I'll call you back. It's close to English "will".

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/se-future/ · Updated 2026-11-10

**will**

Pattern: `[person] + sẽ + [verb or adjective]`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: se

*Sẽ* before a verb says something will happen: *Em sẽ gọi lại cho anh.* I'll call you back. It's close to English "will".

Like *đã*, it's often left out when a time word already says when: *Tuần sau tôi về quê.* I'm going back to my hometown next week. You can still add it, and many speakers do; it can stress that it will really happen, like a promise: *Mai em sẽ trả tiền chị.* I will pay you tomorrow.

"Won't" is *sẽ không*, with *sẽ* first: *Tôi sẽ không nói với ai.* I won't tell anyone.

To ask about the future, *sẽ* stays in its place and the question word goes where the answer will be: *Anh sẽ ở Việt Nam bao lâu?* How long will you stay in Vietnam?

For something about to happen any minute, use *sắp* instead: *Xe sắp tới rồi.* The car's almost here. *Sắp* means "soon" by itself, so it doesn't take a time word; *sẽ* can.

Keep *sẽ* for what will happen, not for asking someone to do something. English "Will you help me?" is a request; in Vietnamese that's *Anh giúp em được không?*

## A common mistake

✗ Anh sẽ giúp em không?

✓ Anh giúp em được không?

In English "will you …?" can be a request. *Anh sẽ giúp em không?* asks what he'll do later or if needed, not for help now. To ask for help, use *được không* or *có thể … không*.

## Examples

- Em sẽ gọi lại cho anh. — I'll call you back.
- Tuần sau tôi về quê. — I'm going back to my hometown next week.
- Tôi sẽ không nói với ai. — I won't tell anyone.
- Anh sẽ ở Việt Nam bao lâu? — How long will you stay in Vietnam?
- Saigon: Xe sắp tới rồi. | Hà Nội: Xe sắp đến rồi. — The car's almost here.

## Words in this pattern

- [sẽ](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/se-will/#lx_se): will

## Compare

- [About to happen: sắp](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/sap-about-to/): about to
- [Saying it already happened: đã](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/da-past/): did / has done

Previous in Time and when things happen: [Saying it is happening now: đang](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/dang-ongoing/)
Next in Time and when things happen: [Small time unit first: chiều mai, chủ nhật tuần sau](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/time-units-order/)

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