Questions & Answers about Ý này rất tốt.
What does ý mean here?
Ý means idea, point, or suggestion, depending on context.
In Ý này rất tốt, it refers to this idea or this point.
A few related words:
- ý = idea / thought
- ý kiến = opinion / view
- ý tưởng = idea / concept, often more like a creative idea
So ý này is a short, natural way to say this idea.
Why is này placed after ý instead of before it?
In Vietnamese, demonstratives like this and that usually come after the noun.
So:
- ý này = this idea
- người này = this person
- cuốn sách này = this book
This is different from English, where this comes before the noun.
A very common pattern is:
noun + này = this + noun
noun + đó / kia = that + noun
What does rất do in the sentence?
Rất means very.
So:
- tốt = good
- rất tốt = very good
In Vietnamese, degree words like rất usually come before the adjective:
- rất đẹp = very beautiful
- rất hay = very interesting / very good
- rất đúng = very correct
So the structure here is:
- ý này = this idea
- rất tốt = is very good
Why is there no word for is in the sentence?
Vietnamese often does not use a word equivalent to English is in simple descriptions.
So:
- Ý này rất tốt literally looks like idea this very good
- but it naturally means This idea is very good
This is normal in Vietnamese. When a noun is being described by an adjective, you usually do not need a verb like to be.
Compare:
- Cô ấy đẹp = She is beautiful
- Trời nóng = The weather is hot
- Ý này rất tốt = This idea is very good
Is Ý này rất tốt a complete and natural sentence, or is it too short?
Yes, it is a complete and natural sentence.
Vietnamese often allows shorter expressions than English, especially when the context is clear. Native speakers commonly use short noun phrases like ý này if everyone already knows what idea is being discussed.
You could also say:
- Ý kiến này rất tốt = This opinion is very good
- Ý tưởng này rất tốt = This idea is very good
But Ý này rất tốt is perfectly natural in conversation.
What is the difference between ý, ý kiến, and ý tưởng?
These words are related, but not identical:
- ý = idea, point, thought; short and flexible
- ý kiến = opinion, comment, viewpoint
- ý tưởng = idea, concept, often a more developed or creative idea
So:
- Ý này rất tốt = This idea/point is very good
- Ý kiến này rất tốt = This opinion is very good
- Ý tưởng này rất tốt = This idea/concept is very good
In everyday speech, ý is often used informally as a shorter version when the meaning is obvious from context.
How do you pronounce Ý này rất tốt?
A rough pronunciation guide for English speakers is:
- ý ≈ like ee with a high, sharp tone
- này ≈ somewhat like nye with a falling tone
- rất ≈ roughly zut or rut, depending on dialect, with a broken/heavy tone
- tốt ≈ roughly toht with a broken/heavy tone
A few important notes:
- ý has the sắc tone: rising/sharp
- này has the huyền tone: low/falling
- rất and tốt have the nặng tone: short, low, heavy/glottalized
If you are learning Northern Vietnamese, r in rất is often pronounced like a z sound. In Southern Vietnamese, it may sound closer to r or y, depending on the speaker.
Why is it tốt and not hay?
Both tốt and hay can sometimes be translated as good, but they are used differently.
- tốt = good, beneficial, positive, of good quality
- hay = interesting, clever, nice, skillful, good in a way that often means impressive or appealing
So:
- Ý này rất tốt = This idea is very good
- Ý này hay đấy = This idea is nice / clever / interesting
Sometimes both work, but the nuance changes:
- tốt focuses more on overall goodness or usefulness
- hay focuses more on being clever, interesting, or appealing
Could I also say Ý này tốt lắm?
Yes. Ý này tốt lắm is natural.
Both are common:
- rất tốt = very good
- tốt lắm = very good / really good
The difference is mostly in tone and style:
- rất tốt sounds a bit more neutral or direct
- tốt lắm can feel a bit more conversational or expressive
You might also hear:
- Ý này hay lắm
- Ý này được đấy
- Ý này ổn đấy
Each has a slightly different nuance.
Can này ever sound rude?
Not in this sentence. Here, này is just the normal demonstrative meaning this.
However, này can also be used as an attention-getter, like hey or listen, in other contexts:
- Này! = Hey!
That use can sound rude depending on tone and situation. But in Ý này rất tốt, it is simply part of ý này = this idea.
What is the basic grammar pattern of this sentence?
The pattern is:
noun + demonstrative + degree word + adjective
So:
- ý = idea
- này = this
- rất = very
- tốt = good
Full structure:
Ý này rất tốt
= This idea is very good
You can use the same pattern with many other sentences:
- Cuốn sách này rất hay = This book is very interesting
- Món ăn này rất ngon = This dish is very tasty
- Người này rất tốt = This person is very kind/good
It is a very useful sentence pattern in Vietnamese.
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