Verb + nhầm

Do It by Mistake

Level 4

Place nhầm directly after a verb to show that an action was performed on the wrong target or by mistake (e.g., dialing the wrong number, taking the wrong coat).

How It Works

At Level 4, it is helpful to understand the nuances of nhầm.

  • Verb + nhầm: Doing something by mistake due to a mix-up or confusion (e.g., gửi nhầm email can mean sending an email to the wrong person, or sending the wrong email entirely).
  • Nhầm vs. Sai: While sai focuses on an action being incorrect, nhầm focuses on the mental slip. However, they are often interchangeable in everyday situations (e.g., đi nhầm đường and đi sai đường both mean going the wrong way).
  • Nhầm A với B / Nhầm A thành B: Common structures meaning 'to mistake A for B' or 'to mistake A into B' (e.g., nhìn nhầm anh ấy với người khác - mistaking him for someone else, or nhìn nhầm số 6 thành số 9 - mistaking a 6 for a 9).
  • Verb of Thought: Nhầm can act as a main verb meaning 'to mistakenly think/believe', often seen as nhầm là... or the compound nhầm tưởng (e.g., Tôi nhầm là bạn không đến - I mistakenly thought you weren't coming).
  • Standalone Adjective: Nhầm can be used on its own to mean 'mistaken' (e.g., Tôi nhầm rồi - I was mistaken).
  • Nhầm + Noun: In casual speech, the verb is often dropped (e.g., nhầm số - wrong number, nhầm người - wrong person).
  • Nhầm lẫn: A highly common compound word meaning 'confusion' or 'to mix up'.

Dialectal Note: The primary distinction between nhầm and lầm is regional: nhầm is more common in the North, while lầm is favored in the South. Both are used naturally in abstract contexts (like hiểu nhầm / hiểu lầm - to misunderstand), though lầm appears in common compounds (like sai lầm).

Remember that when used as a resultative complement to indicate an action done by mistake, nhầm follows the main verb.

Examples (5)

  1. Xin lỗi, tôi gọi nhầm số.

    Sorry, I dialed the wrong number.

    Word by Word: Beg fault, I call mistaken number.

    A classic example of a mental slip or confusion leading to dialing the wrong number.

  2. Tôi vội quá nên lấy nhầm áo khoác của bạn.

    I was in such a hurry that I took your jacket by mistake.

    Word by Word: I hurry too so take mistaken jacket belonging to friend.

    Notice the strict word order: Verb (lấy) + nhầm + Object (áo khoác).

  3. Hai khách sạn có tên gần giống nhau nên khách rất dễ đi nhầm.

    The two hotels have very similar names, so it's easy for guests to go to the wrong one.

    Word by Word: Two hotel have name near same together so guest very easy go mistaken.

    Here, 'đi nhầm' means going to the wrong destination due to confusion. The object is implied from context.

  4. Chắc là anh gửi nhầm email cho tôi rồi.

    You probably sent the email to me by mistake.

    Word by Word: Probably is older brother send mistaken email for me already.

    This can mean sending the wrong email, or sending an email to the wrong person. Notice the use of chắc là to soften the assumption.

  5. Xin lỗi, tôi nhìn nhầm bạn với một người quen.

    Sorry, I mistook you for an acquaintance.

    Word by Word: Beg fault, I look mistaken friend with one person familiar.

    This demonstrates the pattern nhầm A với B, meaning to mistake A for B.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'nhầm' for objective errors of correctness.

    Tôi viết nhầm chính tả.
    Tôi viết sai chính tả.

    While nhầm and sai are often interchangeable for taking the wrong path or grabbing the wrong item, sai must be used for objective errors of correctness or breaking rules, such as spelling or grammar mistakes.

  • Placing the modifier before the verb.

    Tôi nhầm lấy điện thoại của anh.
    Tôi lấy nhầm điện thoại của anh.

    English speakers often say 'mistakenly took', putting the modifier first. In Vietnamese, resultative complements like nhầm must come directly after the verb.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Verb + nhầmLevel 4Do It by Mistake

Learn This First

The 'Verb + nhầm' pattern is a resultative construction where 'nhầm' acts as a complement to indicate that the action was performed incorrectly or on the wrong target. To understand this, learners should be familiar with basic Vietnamese word order and the concept of resultative verbs (like 'thấy'), where a second word describes the result of the first action.

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Words in This Pattern

nhầm