# Verb + verb with no 'to' in Vietnamese (A1)

> Two verbs can sit side by side with nothing between them, where English needs "to", "-ing" or "and": Tôi thích nấu ăn. I like cooking. Mình đi ăn nha.

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

**verb chains**

Pattern: `[verb 1] + [verb 2] (+ [verb 3])`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Two verbs can sit side by side with nothing between them, where English needs "to", "-ing" or "and": *Tôi thích nấu ăn.* I like cooking. *Mình đi ăn nha.* Let's go and eat. *Anh về ngủ đi.* Go home and get some sleep. (The *đi* at the end isn't "go" here: it makes it a suggestion.)

The verbs never change form. *Học* is "learn", "to learn" and "learning" all at once: *Em thích học tiếng Việt*, *Em bắt đầu học tiếng Việt*.

Three in a row are normal: *Em muốn đi coi phim.* I want to go and see a film.

Verbs that often come first include *thích* (like), *muốn* (want), *đi* (go), *về* (go home), *bắt đầu* (start), *nhớ* (remember to) and *quên* (forget to): *Đừng quên mua sữa nha.* Don't forget to buy milk.

*Để* means "in order to", for a real purpose; it's never a plain "to" after *thích* or *muốn*. *Đi* plus a place needs no "to" either: *đi chợ*, *đi Đà Lạt*.

## Examples

- Tôi thích nấu ăn. — I like cooking.
- Saigon: Tối nay mình đi ăn nha. | Hà Nội: Tối nay mình đi ăn nhé. — Let's go out to eat tonight.
- Saigon: Em muốn đi coi phim. | Hà Nội: Em muốn đi xem phim. — I want to go and see a film.
- Saigon: Đừng quên mua sữa nha. | Hà Nội: Đừng quên mua sữa nhé. — Don't forget to buy milk.
- Anh về ngủ đi. — Go home and get some sleep.

## Compare

- [đi + place, no 'to': đi Hà Nội, đi chợ, đi làm](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/di-place-no-prep/): go to (no preposition)
- [In order to: để](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/de-purpose/): in order to / so that

Previous in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [Together: cùng (với)](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/cung-together/)
Next in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [(Not) in time: (không) kịp](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/kip-in-time/)

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