Definition

1. Adverbial phrase:
   • Three years ago: A temporal phrase used to indicate a point in time exactly three years prior to the current moment. It is a specific and common time reference.

Usage Examples

• Adverbial phrase:
  • Chúng tôi chuyển đến đây năm kìa. (We moved here three years ago.)
  • Cô ấy tốt nghiệp năm kìa. (She graduated three years ago.)
  • Sự kiện đó xảy ra năm kìa. (That event happened three years ago.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is fixed and always refers to a three-year gap. It is often used in informal and conversational contexts to anchor a past event.

Variants and Related Words

• Năm ngoái (adverbial phrase): last year.
• Hai năm trước (adverbial phrase): two years ago.
• Năm ngoái kia (adverbial phrase): the year before last.

Synonyms

• Three years ago: The direct and most common English equivalent.
• A triennium ago: A formal, less common equivalent.

Notes on Usage

• "Năm kìa" is a standalone temporal adverb. It is not typically modified or broken up. It directly corresponds to the English "three years ago."
• It is important to distinguish it from "năm ngoái" (last year) and "năm nay" (this year).