rất tốt
[zət̚˧˦ tot̚˧˦]word by word
rất tốt is the Vietnamese way to say "very nice".
rất tốt is used to describe something of high quality or a situation that is very satisfactory. You can also use the word rất to mean "very", cực kỳ to mean "extremely" and vô cùng to mean "exceptionally".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase rất tốt is composed of rất (very) and tốt (good/well).
Which one should you use?
While rất tốt is used for quality or character, you should use rất đẹp if you mean "very nice" in the sense of visual appearance (very beautiful).
How does it change in a sentence?
To add extra emphasis, similar to saying "extremely good", you can add lắm to the end of a phrase, such as tốt lắm.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid combining rất and lắm in the same phrase, such as saying rất tốt lắm. In standard Vietnamese, you should use either rất tốt or tốt lắm, but not both together.
Did you know?
- While rất tốt is used for quality, the word tốt on its own is also the Vietnamese word for a 'pawn' in chess. This is because it originates from a Sino-Vietnamese word meaning 'soldier'.
- If you replace rất with vô cùng, the meaning shifts from 'very nice' to something more poetic, implying the quality is 'infinitely good' or 'beyond measure'.
- Using tốt lắm is not just about describing quality, but is frequently used as a social gesture to give someone a metaphorical 'pat on the back' for their effort.
Examples in context
- Nó rất tốt.He's very nice!This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase rất tốt.Tatoeba #1553798 by trieuho, translation #674368 by yessoos
- Cách bạn giải thích rất tốt!Your explanation is very nice!
- Bài hát này rất hay!This song is very nice!
- Bạn chơi piano rất là tốt!You play the piano very nicely!
- Trò chơi này hay quá, cực kỳ tuyệt vời!This game is so good, extremely excellent!
- Rất tuyệt vờiVery fantastic
- Cực kỳ đáng yêuExtremely cute
- Kế hoạch này rất tốt.This plan is very nice.
Example conversation
Nam and Chi are discussing a new project at work.
- NamÝ tưởng của cô rất tốt.Your idea is very nice.
- ChiCảm ơn anh, Nam.Thank you, Nam.
- NamChúng ta nên bắt đầu ngay.We should start right away.
- ChiTôi đồng ý với anh.I agree with you.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (rất, tốt) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
