Tôi dùng chổi để quét sàn nhà.

I

Breakdown of Tôi dùng chổi để quét sàn nhà.

• để: to
• dùng: to use
• sàn nhà: the floor (home)

Questions & Answers about Tôi dùng chổi để quét sàn nhà.

What does each word in Tôi dùng chổi để quét sàn nhà mean?

Here is a word-by-word breakdown:

• Tôi = I
• dùng = use
• chổi = broom
• để = in order to, to
• quét = sweep
• sàn nhà = floor of the house, floor

So the structure is basically:

• Tôi dùng chổi để quét sàn nhà
• I use a broom to sweep the floor

Vietnamese often builds meaning very directly like this.

Why is để used here?

Để often introduces purpose. In this sentence, it connects using the broom with the purpose of sweeping the floor.

So:

• dùng chổi = use a broom
• để quét sàn nhà = to sweep the floor

It works a lot like to or in order to in English.

A very literal reading would be:

• I use a broom in order to sweep the floor.

In everyday English, we usually just say I use a broom to sweep the floor, and that matches the Vietnamese well.

Can I leave out để?

Sometimes yes, but it changes the feel a little.

• Tôi dùng chổi để quét sàn nhà = very clear, natural, and explicit about purpose
• Tôi dùng chổi quét sàn nhà = also understandable, but less neatly structured

For learners, using để is a good habit because it makes the sentence easier to parse and sounds natural.