# Verb + direction in Vietnamese (A2)

> The direction words ra, vô, lên, xuống, về and qua can follow another verb to say which way the action goes: chạy ra (run out), đi vô (go in), đứng lên…

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/v-direction-complement/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**motion verb + direction**

Pattern: `[verb] + ra / vô / lên / xuống / về / qua + ([place]) · mang / đem / gửi + [thing] + về / vô / tới + [place]`

Level: A2 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

The direction words *ra*, *vô*, *lên*, *xuống*, *về* and *qua* can follow another verb to say which way the action goes: *chạy ra* (run out), *đi vô* (go in), *đứng lên* (stand up), *ngồi xuống* (sit down), *nhìn lên* (look up). They work like "out", "in", "up" and "down" after an English verb. In Hà Nội and in writing, *vô* is *vào* and *qua* is often *sang*: *chạy vào*, *đi sang*.

A place, if there is one, comes after the direction word: *chạy ra đường* (run out into the street), *leo lên núi* (climb up the mountain).

With verbs of carrying and sending, such as *mang* or *đem* (take, bring; *đem* is common in Saigon), *đưa* (take, hand) and *gửi* (send), the thing usually goes between the verb and the direction word: *mang sách về nhà* (take the books home), *đem đồ vô nhà* (bring the things inside), *gửi tiền về quê* (send money home to the family). That's the order to practise: verb, thing, direction, place.

*Lên* and *xuống* also say more and less: *tăng lên* (go up), *giảm xuống* (go down).

## Examples

- Chị ngồi xuống đi. — Have a seat.
- Saigon: Con mèo chạy vô bếp rồi. | Hà Nội: Con mèo chạy vào bếp rồi. — The cat has run into the kitchen.
- Saigon: Em đem đồ vô nhà giùm chị nha. | Hà Nội: Em mang đồ vào nhà giúp chị nhé. — Could you bring the things inside for me?
- Tháng nào chị cũng gửi tiền về quê. — I send money home to my family every month.

## Compare

- [Moving in a direction: ra, vô / vào, lên, xuống, về, qua, tới](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/direction-verbs/): out / in / up / down / back / across / to
- [Getting more or less: adjective + ra / lên / đi / lại](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/adj-change-ra-di/): become more / less …
- [Figuring out, realising: verb + ra (nhận ra, nghĩ ra, tìm ra)](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/ra-discover/): realise, come up with, find out

Previous in Places and movement: [Out of, leave: ra khỏi](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/ra-khoi/)
Next in Places and movement: [Went and came back, back from: đi … về, ở … về](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/di-ve-return-from/)

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