nhưng

But

Level 1

The word nhưng is the standard, everyday way to say 'but' in Vietnamese. It connects two contrasting ideas.

How It Works

In Vietnamese, nhưng is the most common and neutral way to express a contrast.

Structure:

  • [Idea 1] + nhưng + [Idea 2]
  • [Adjective 1] + nhưng + [Adjective 2]
  • [Sentence 1]. Nhưng [Sentence 2]. (Can start a new sentence to mean 'But,'. For formal writing or speech, tuy nhiên is the standard translation for 'However,')

Key Notes:

  • Nhưng mà: You will often hear native speakers say nhưng mà instead of just nhưng. While they mean the same thing, adding mà makes the contrast feel softer and more explanatory, acting as a conversational hinge. In casual speech, it can even be shortened to just mà to mean 'but'. Note that this is different from the sentence-final particle mà, which is placed at the end of a sentence to emphasize a point, remind the listener of a known fact, gently persuade, or express frustration.
  • Contrasting Subjects (Còn vs. Nhưng): In English, 'but' is often used to simply contrast two different subjects (e.g., 'I like tea, but he likes coffee'). In Vietnamese, for parallel or thematic contrast (like 'whereas' or 'meanwhile'), you should use còn. Nhưng is used when there is a direct contradiction, an adversative relationship, or a thwarted expectation, even if the subjects are different (e.g., 'Tôi muốn đi chơi, nhưng trời mưa' - I want to go out, but it's raining).
  • With 'Although': In English, we don't say 'Although X, but Y'. However, in Vietnamese, it is standard and highly natural to pair 'Although' (mặc dù, tuy, or dù) with nhưng in the same sentence (e.g., mặc dù / tuy / dù ... nhưng ...). You will also frequently see the word vẫn (still) placed right before the verb in the second clause to emphasize the contrast.
  • Not for 'Except': Do not use nhưng to mean 'except' (as in 'everyone but him'). For 'except', Vietnamese uses a different word (trừ).
  • Not for 'Not X, but Y': When correcting a statement (e.g., 'It is not tea, but coffee'), do not use nhưng. Instead, use mà or mà là.
  • Not for 'Not only... but also...': The English structure 'not only... but also...' translates to the specific pattern không những ... mà còn .... Do not use nhưng here.

Examples (5)

  1. Tôi mệt nhưng vui.

    I'm tired but happy.

    Word by Word: I tired but happy.

    Connecting two contrasting adjectives.

  2. Tôi muốn đi, nhưng tôi bận.

    I want to go, but I am busy.

    Word by Word: I want go, but I busy.

    Connecting two contrasting clauses.

  3. Tiếng Việt khó nhưng rất thú vị.

    Vietnamese is difficult but very interesting.

    Word by Word: Vietnamese difficult but very interesting.

    A common way to express two opposing qualities about the same subject.

  4. Anh ấy ăn nhiều nhưng không béo.

    He eats a lot but doesn't get fat.

    Word by Word: He eat much but not fat.

    Showing an unexpected result.

  5. Mặc dù trời mưa nhưng tôi vẫn đi làm.

    Although it was raining, I still went to work.

    Word by Word: Although sky rain but I still go work.

    Demonstrating the common 'Although... but...' paired structure in Vietnamese.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'nhưng' to mean 'except' (e.g., 'everyone but him').

    Tất cả mọi người nhưng anh ấy.
    Tất cả mọi người trừ anh ấy.

    Nhưng is strictly a conjunction meaning 'but' or 'however'. It cannot be used as a preposition meaning 'except'. To say 'except', use the word trừ or ngoại trừ.

  • Using 'nhưng' for corrective contrast ('Not X, but Y').

    Đó không phải là trà nhưng là cà phê.
    Đó không phải là trà mà là cà phê.

    When correcting a statement (saying 'Not X, but Y'), Vietnamese uses mà or mà là, not nhưng. Nhưng is used for contrasting ideas or expectations, not for correcting false information.

  • Using 'nhưng' instead of 'còn' for simple parallel contrast between subjects.

    Different MeaningTôi thích trà, nhưng anh ấy thích cà phê.
    Tôi thích trà, còn anh ấy thích cà phê.

    When making a simple parallel contrast between two subjects (like 'whereas' or 'meanwhile'), Vietnamese often uses còn. Nhưng is also natural here, but it adds a sense of contradiction or surprise, rather than just shifting the topic to compare preferences.

How It Connects

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nhưngLevel 1But

Learn This First

The word 'nhưng' is a fundamental conjunction used to contrast two clauses or adjectives. To use it effectively, a learner simply needs to understand basic Vietnamese word order and how adjectives are used to describe subjects.

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