nghĩ là

Think That

Level 1

Express your thoughts and opinions.

How It Works

In Vietnamese, to express an opinion or a thought, you use the phrase nghĩ là (think that).

The structure is very simple:
[Subject] + nghĩ + (là) + [Opinion/Thought]

Here are a few important things to remember when using this pattern:

  • Là is just a connector: Although you might know là as the verb 'to be', in this pattern it simply means 'that'. It connects the verb 'nghĩ' to your thought and carries no 'to be' meaning.
  • It can be dropped: In casual, fast speech, native speakers often drop là completely, leaving just nghĩ followed by the thought.
  • Formal alternative: In formal contexts or written Vietnamese, you will often see nghĩ rằng instead of nghĩ là. rằng serves the exact same purpose.
  • Negative form: To say "don't think that", simply place không before nghĩ to make không nghĩ là.
  • Pronoun shifting: Just like in English, when reporting someone else's thoughts, you must adjust the pronouns to match the speaker's perspective.
  • Softening statements: Using nghĩ là is a great way to sound polite and not too imposing when giving advice, often paired with nên (should).
  • No tense backshifting: Unlike English, Vietnamese does not require you to change the tense of the verbs in your thought just because you are talking about the past.
  • Think that vs. Think about: Nghĩ là is strictly followed by a clause (a full thought or opinion). If you want to say you are thinking about a noun (like a person or a thing), you must use nghĩ về or nghĩ đến instead.

Examples (4)

  1. Tôi nghĩ là bạn nên nói chuyện với cô ấy.

    I think that you should talk to her.

    Word by Word: I think that friend should talk with aunt that.

    Using 'nghĩ là' softens the advice, making it sound like a gentle suggestion rather than a command.

  2. Mình nghĩ là cô ấy đã hiểu lầm rồi.

    I think that she has misunderstood.

    Word by Word: I think that aunt that past misunderstand already.

    A standard, neutral way to express a personal opinion or assessment of a situation.

  3. Tôi nghĩ vấn đề này cần được giải quyết ngay.

    I think this issue needs to be resolved right away.

    Word by Word: I think problem this need passive resolve right away.

    In natural spoken Vietnamese, the word 'là' is frequently dropped without changing the meaning.

  4. Anh ấy nghĩ là tiếng Việt rất khó.

    He thinks that Vietnamese is very difficult.

    Word by Word: Brother that think that language Viet very difficult.

    You can use this pattern to report someone else's belief or opinion.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'đã nghĩ là' where 'tưởng là' shows the belief was mistaken.

    Different MeaningTôi đã nghĩ là hôm nay được nghỉ.
    Tôi tưởng là hôm nay được nghỉ.

    'Tôi đã nghĩ là hôm nay được nghỉ' is natural, and in context it can mean you believed it but were wrong. The verb 'tưởng' (tưởng là) says right away that the belief was mistaken, so it is the usual choice when you thought something that turned out false.

  • Stacking both 'rằng' and 'là' together.

    Tôi nghĩ rằng là chúng ta nên đi.
    Tôi nghĩ là chúng ta nên đi.

    Learners (and sometimes native speakers using filler words) mistakenly use 'rằng là' together. You should choose either 'là' (casual) or 'rằng' (formal), but do not use both at the same time.

  • Using 'nghĩ là' followed by a noun to mean 'think about'.

    Tôi đang nghĩ là bạn.
    Tôi đang nghĩ về bạn.

    In English, 'think' is used for both opinions ('think that') and focusing on a subject ('think about'). In Vietnamese, 'nghĩ là' must be followed by a full clause expressing an opinion. To say you are thinking about a person or thing, use 'nghĩ về' or 'nghĩ đến'.

How It Connects

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

nghĩ làLevel 1Think That

Learn This First

To understand 'nghĩ là', a learner must first be familiar with the basic copula 'là', which acts as the bridge to the opinion clause. Additionally, knowledge of basic word order and pronoun usage is required to construct the full sentence structure surrounding the thought.

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