xét thấy
Having Considered That
Xét thấy is a highly formal conjunction meaning "considering that," "seeing that," or "in view of." It is used in official, legal, and administrative contexts to introduce the reasoning behind a formal decision.
How It Works
This pattern belongs primarily to the administrative register and legal register, though it also appears in formal journalism and academic writing. You will encounter it in court verdicts, government decrees, and formal business correspondence, but almost never in casual spoken Vietnamese. A highly frequent fixed phrase to remember is xét thấy cần thiết (deemed necessary).
Key Distinctions:
- Vs. Vì (Because): While both indicate cause, vì is neutral. Xét thấy specifically denotes a deliberated rationale leading to a consequential decision.
- Vs. Nhận thấy (To realize/notice): Nhận thấy denotes cognitive perception or discovery. While legal professionals still colloquially refer to the sections of a court verdict as 'nhận thấy' (background facts) and 'xét thấy' (legal reasoning), and these words often appear as introductory transitions, the official mandatory sections under the 2015 procedural codes are actually 'Phần nội dung vụ án' and 'Phần nhận định của Hội đồng xét xử'.
- Vs. Căn cứ vào (Based on): căn cứ attaches to concrete nouns like specific laws or documents, whereas xét thấy attaches to situations, facts, or clauses.
Examples (5)
- Xét thấy không cần buộc người này phải chấp hành hình phạt tù, tòa án có thể cho hưởng án treo.
Having considered that it is not necessary to force this person to serve a prison sentence, the court may grant a suspended sentence.
Word by Word: Examine see not need force person this must serve punishment prison, court can allow enjoy sentence suspended.
A classic legal usage where the judge evaluates the facts before delivering a verdict.
- Xét thấy tình hình dịch bệnh bùng phát trở lại, chính phủ quyết định tiếp tục thực hiện các biện pháp phong tỏa.
In view of the epidemic breaking out again, the government decided to continue implementing lockdown measures.
Word by Word: Examine see situation epidemic outbreak return again, government decide continue implement plural measure lockdown.
Used to introduce the factual premise justifying a major government action.
- Xét thấy đề nghị của công ty là hợp lý, ban giám đốc đã đồng ý.
Considering that the company's request is reasonable, the board of directors agreed.
Word by Word: Examine see proposal of company is reasonable, board director past agree.
Demonstrates formal business correspondence where a proposal is evaluated before approval.
- Xét thấy hậu quả của hành vi là đặc biệt nghiêm trọng, Viện kiểm sát đề nghị mức án cao nhất.
Seeing that the consequences of the act are particularly serious, the Procuracy proposed the highest sentence.
Word by Word: Examine see consequence of behavior is particularly serious, Institute control observe propose level sentence high most.
Shows the pattern attaching to a clause describing a severe situation in a legal setting.
- Xét thấy tình hình thời tiết xấu, ban tổ chức quyết định hoãn sự kiện.
Considering the bad weather conditions, the organizing committee decided to postpone the event.
Word by Word: Examine see situation weather bad, committee organize decide postpone event.
Demonstrates the pattern attaching to a noun phrase representing a situation.
Common Mistakes
Using 'xét thấy' in casual conversation for everyday cause-and-effect.
Xét thấy trời mưa, tôi quyết định ở nhà.Vì trời mưa, tôi quyết định ở nhà.Because learners often translate 'xét thấy' as 'since' or 'seeing that', they mistakenly use it for mundane reasons. It must be reserved for formal, consequential decisions made after deliberation. For everyday reasons, use 'vì'.
Using the pattern without a main clause that delivers a formal decision or action.
Xét thấy dự án này rất tiềm năng.Xét thấy dự án này rất tiềm năng, hội đồng quản trị đã phê duyệt ngân sách.'Xét thấy' is a conjunction that introduces a dependent clause. It must be followed by a comma and a main clause detailing the official action taken based on that evaluation.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'xét thấy', a learner needs to be familiar with how the verb 'thấy' (to see/perceive) is used as a resultative complement to indicate a conclusion reached. Furthermore, because this is a Level 6 pattern, it requires an understanding of formal administrative Vietnamese and how clauses are linked to express official reasoning or findings.
- Verb + thấyPerceive the Result
The pattern 'xét thấy' is a specific formal application of the 'Verb + thấy' construction, where 'thấy' indicates the result of a perception or mental process.
Level 3 - Administrative Register
'Xét thấy' is a specialized term used almost exclusively in administrative and legal registers to introduce official reasoning.
Level 6 - rằngThat (Introducing a Clause)
Like 'nói rằng' or 'cho rằng', 'xét thấy' often functions as a complementiser to introduce a full clause explaining the grounds for a decision.
Level 4
Related Patterns
- căn cứPursuant to
Both are formal administrative markers used to justify decisions, but 'căn cứ' attaches to specific documents or laws, while 'xét thấy' attaches to situations or facts.
Level 6 - vìBecause
'Vì' is the everyday, neutral equivalent of cause-and-effect, contrasting with the highly formal and deliberative nature of 'xét thấy'.
Level 1 - Legal Register
'Xét thấy' is a hallmark of legal writing, making this register essential context for understanding its proper usage.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice xét thấy in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Vietnamese lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
