Tôi làm việc cả đêm.

I

Breakdown of Tôi làm việc cả đêm.

• làm việc: to work
• cả: all; both
• đêm: the night

Questions & Answers about Tôi làm việc cả đêm.

What does tôi mean here, and is it the normal way to say I?

Tôi means I.

It is a neutral, polite pronoun, and it is very common in textbook Vietnamese. In real conversation, Vietnamese often uses kinship-style pronouns instead, depending on age and relationship, such as mình, anh, em, chị, etc.

So Tôi làm việc cả đêm is correct and natural, but it can sound a bit neutral or formal compared with everyday casual speech.

Why is làm việc two words? Why not just làm?

Làm việc means to work.

• làm by itself is a very broad verb meaning do, make, or sometimes work
• làm việc more specifically means to work, especially in the sense of doing one’s job or laboring

So:

• Tôi làm việc cả đêm = I worked / work all night
• Tôi làm cả đêm is also possible, but it can sound a little broader, like I was doing things all night depending on context

If you want the clear meaning work, làm việc is a safe choice.

What does cả đêm mean exactly?