Learn Hardcore Vietnamese: Nhà tôi rất lớn.

Vietnamese often omits the copula “to be” when linking a subject with an adjective. Instead of saying Nhà tôi là rất lớn, you simply say Nhà tôi rất lớn. The adjective lớn directly follows the subject, functioning as the predicate without an explicit là.

Why is “my house” expressed as nhà tôi rather than tôi nhà?

Vietnamese marks possession by placing the noun first, then the possessor. So nhà (house) comes before tôi (I/me). The structure is:
• Noun + Possessor → nhà tôi (my house)
Reversing that order (tôi nhà) would be ungrammatical.

What does rất do in this sentence?

Rất is an adverb meaning “very.” It modifies the adjective lớn to intensify the size.
• lớn = big/large
• rất lớn = very big/very large

What part of speech is lớn, and why is it placed at the end?

Lớn is an adjective (tính từ). In Vietnamese, adjectives used as predicates follow the subject (or subject phrase). The basic word order is:
Subject → (Adverb) → Adjective.
Hence: Nhà tôi (subject) + rất (adverb) + lớn (adjective).

Can I also say nhà của tôi instead of nhà tôi?

Yes. Của is a genitive marker (similar to “of”).
• nhà tôi = my house
• nhà của tôi = the house of me = my house
Using của is more explicit or formal, but both forms are correct.

When should I use the classifier ngôi as in ngôi nhà?

Vietnamese uses classifiers before nouns when counting or specifying.
• Stand-alone noun: nhà tôi rất lớn
• With a classifier (often when numbered or definite): ngôi nhà của tôi rất lớn
Here, ngôi is the standard classifier for buildings like houses. In everyday speech, you can drop ngôi if you’re not counting or emphasizing “one specific house.”

How do I ask “Is my house very big?” in Vietnamese?

To form a yes/no question with an adjective predicate, insert có before the adjective and add không? at the end:
• Nhà tôi có lớn không? = Is my house big?
If you really want very, you can say:
• Nhà tôi có rất lớn không? = Is my house very big?
But native speakers often just ask Nhà tôi có lớn không? and leave rất out unless they need extra emphasis.

Can nhà tôi also mean “my home” or “my family”?

Yes. Nhà can imply more than just the physical building:
• my home (the place where I live)
• my family/household (especially in contexts like nói với nhà tôi = “tell my family”)
Context will tell you whether it’s the structure, the home atmosphere, or the family unit.

What are the tones for nhà tôi rất lớn, and how should I pronounce them?

Vietnamese is tonal. Here’s the breakdown (Northern accent):
• nhà [nhả] – hỏi tone (low dipping)
• tôi [tôi] – ngang tone (flat mid)
• rất [rắt] – sắc tone (rising)
• lớn [lợn] – nặng tone (heavy falling)
Practice each word individually, then connect them at a natural, even pace: “nhà tôi rất lớn.”

How do I say “our house is very big” or “his/her house is very big”?

Change the possessor pronoun:
• Our house is very big: Nhà chúng tôi rất lớn or Nhà của chúng tôi rất lớn
• His/Her house is very big: Nhà anh ấy rất lớn, Nhà cô ấy rất lớn, etc.
Choose the appropriate pronoun (chúng tôi, anh ấy, cô ấy, họ) to match the meaning.