nói rằng / nói là
Say That
In Vietnamese, you can report what someone said using nói rằng (formal) or nói là (casual), which both translate to 'say that'.
How It Works
To report speech in Vietnamese, you use the verb nói followed by a complementizer and the reported clause. These complementizers (rằng and là) also act as universal linkers for other verbs of cognition and perception (e.g., nghĩ rằng/là - to think that, tin rằng/là - to believe that).
1. Choosing the right word:
- Nói rằng: Formal, objective, and neutral. It is highly frequent in news broadcasts, academic writing, formal speeches, as well as literature, fiction, and general written narratives.
- Nói là: Casual and conversational. It is the standard, neutral choice for reporting facts or everyday information in spoken Vietnamese.
- Omission: In casual speech, dropping the complementizer entirely (just using nói + clause) is extremely common.
2. Specifying the listener:
If you want to mention who was spoken to when sharing a fact, you can insert the preposition với (with/to) before the listener: nói với [listener] rằng/là. Alternatively, a very common everyday pattern is to use nói cho [listener] nghe/biết (literally: speak for [listener] to hear/know).
3. Direct vs. Indirect Speech:
These patterns introduce indirect speech. To introduce direct quotes, it is much more natural to use nói rằng: or use nói: without a linker (e.g., Anh ấy nói: "Tôi sẽ đến" - He said: "I will come"). In direct quotes, pronouns remain exactly as originally spoken.
4. Pronoun Shifting and Tense:
When reporting indirect speech, pronouns must be dynamically recalibrated based on the current speaker's relationship to the original speaker and/or the original listener, which requires more thought than English due to the complex kinship system. However, unlike English, which shifts tenses in reported speech (e.g., 'I am tired' becomes 'He said he was tired'), Vietnamese does not backshift tense indicators (đã, đang, sẽ). Time adverbs (like 'ngày mai' or 'hôm qua') do still shift relative to the current speaker's perspective or narrative time, just like in English.
5. Reporting Questions and Commands:
To report a question, use hỏi xem or hỏi là. Note that Vietnamese reported Yes/No questions simply retain their original có ... không or đã ... chưa framing rather than using an equivalent to 'if' or 'whether'. Additionally, unlike English, the word order for reported questions remains identical to direct questions. To report a command, you can use nói rằng / nói là followed by a clause with a modal verb of obligation (e.g., Mẹ nói là tôi phải đi ngủ - Mom said that I must go to sleep). Alternatively, use bảo (North) or kêu (South) followed by the listener and the verb (e.g., bảo tôi đi - told me to go). You can also keep là with bảo/kêu if forming a full clause with a modal verb (e.g., Mẹ bảo tôi là phải đi ngủ - Mom told me that I must go to sleep). To report a negative command, use đừng (don't) or không được (not allowed to) before the verb (e.g., Mẹ bảo tôi đừng đi - Mom told me not to go).
6. Bảo/Kêu vs. Nói:
In everyday spoken Vietnamese, bảo (là) and kêu (là) are extremely common casual alternatives to nói là for reporting statements. The key mechanical difference is that nói requires a preposition like với before the listener (nói với tôi) or the cho pattern, whereas bảo and kêu take the listener directly (bảo tôi là), much like the English 'tell me'.
7. Hearsay:
To report hearsay or general knowledge, use the highly frequent pattern nghe nói là (I heard that / it is said that).
Examples (6)
- Anh ấy nói là ngày mai sẽ đến.
He said that he will come tomorrow.
Word by Word: Older brother that say that tomorrow will arrive.
A standard, casual sentence using 'nói là' for everyday conversation. Notice how the subject 'he' is naturally dropped in the second clause because it refers back to the main speaker.
- Giám đốc nói rằng dự án này rất quan trọng.
The director said that this project is very important.
Word by Word: Director say that project this very important.
A formal sentence using 'nói rằng', appropriate for a professional or business context.
- Mẹ nói với tôi là mẹ đang mệt.
Mom told me that she is tired.
Word by Word: Mother say with me that mother currently tired.
When specifying the listener ('me') to report a fact, you must use the preposition 'với'.
- Ba kêu tôi đi ngủ sớm.
Dad told me to go to sleep early.
Word by Word: Dad call me go sleep early.
To report a command or request, use 'bảo' (North) or 'kêu' (South) followed by the listener and the action. You can also use 'là' if the command is phrased as a full clause with a modal verb of obligation, like 'Ba kêu tôi là phải đi ngủ sớm'.
- Cô ấy nói rằng: "Tôi sẽ đi".
She said: "I will go".
Word by Word: Aunt that say that: "I will go".
To introduce direct quotes, use 'nói rằng' or simply 'nói' rather than 'nói là'. In direct quotes, the pronouns do not shift.
- Anh ấy hỏi xem tôi có rảnh không.
He asked if I was free.
Word by Word: Older brother that ask see I have free no.
To report a question, use 'hỏi xem' or 'hỏi là'. Notice how the reported Yes/No question retains the 'có ... không' structure instead of using a word for 'if' or 'whether'.
Common Mistakes
Missing a preposition like 'với' or 'cho' when specifying a listener for a statement.
Anh ấy nói tôi rằng anh ấy bận.Anh ấy nói với tôi rằng anh ấy bận.Learners often translate the English 'He told me that...' directly. However, in Vietnamese, 'nói' functions more like 'speak' or 'say', so you must use a preposition like với (with/to) before the listener, or use the pattern nói cho [listener] nghe/biết. If you want to attach the listener directly without a preposition, you must use 'bảo' or 'kêu' instead of 'nói' (e.g., 'Anh ấy bảo tôi là...'), which function more like the English 'tell'.
Overusing 'rằng' in casual, everyday speech.
Bạn em nói rằng hôm nay trời mưa.Bạn em nói là hôm nay trời mưa.Because 'rằng' translates neatly to 'that', learners often overuse it in casual conversation. Using 'rằng' with friends or family sounds unnaturally formal, like a news anchor. Use 'là' or drop the word entirely instead.
Using the conversational filler 'nói rằng là' in formal writing.
Trong bài luận: Tác giả nói rằng là xã hội đang thay đổi.Trong bài luận: Tác giả nói rằng xã hội đang thay đổi.Grammar guides explicitly warn against stacking 'rằng' and 'là' together, and you should definitely avoid it in formal writing. However, in everyday spoken Vietnamese, native speakers frequently use 'nói rằng là...' as a natural conversational filler when pausing to think. While you shouldn't write it, recognizing this combination is highly beneficial for understanding native speech.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'nói rằng / nói là', learners need to be familiar with the verb 'nói' (to say) and how 'là' functions as a linker between a main verb and a subordinate clause. Understanding 'nghĩ là' provides a direct structural parallel for this pattern.
Related Patterns
- rằngThat (Introducing a Clause)
Explores the broader usage of 'rằng' as a formal complementizer to introduce clauses after various verbs.
Level 4 - nghĩ làThink That
Shows how 'là' is used as a complementizer with other verbs of cognition, such as 'to think'.
Level 1 - vớiWith
The essential preposition needed when you want to specify who the speaker is talking to (nói với).
Level 1 - cho rằngHold the View That
Another formal reporting phrase using 'rằng', meaning 'to hold the view that' or 'to assume that'.
Level 4
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice nói rằng / nói là in Bubblegum
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