# Định: intend to in Vietnamese (A2)

> Định before a verb means "plan to" or "intend to": Cuối tuần em định đi Vũng Tàu. I'm planning to go to Vũng Tàu this weekend.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/dinh-plan/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**intend to**

Pattern: `[person] + định + [verb]`

Level: A2 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: dinh

Variants:

- tính + [verb] (Saigon speech)

*Định* before a verb means "plan to" or "intend to": *Cuối tuần em định đi Vũng Tàu.* I'm planning to go to Vũng Tàu this weekend. It's how people talk about plans that aren't fixed yet.

To ask about someone's plans, use it with a question word or with *có … không*: *Anh định làm gì?* What are you planning to do? *Tết này anh có định về quê không?* Are you planning to go back to your hometown for Tết? For "not planning to", put *không* in front: *Em không định đi.*

It's also how you say you meant to do something that didn't happen: *Em định gọi chị mà quên.* I meant to call you, but I forgot.

In Saigon speech, *tính* is very common in the same place: *Tháng sau tụi em tính chuyển nhà.* We're planning to move house next month. The longer *dự định* sounds more formal.

*Sẽ* says what will happen; *định* says what you have in mind, and leaves room to change it. *Muốn* (want) is a wish, not a plan.

## Examples

- Cuối tuần em định đi Vũng Tàu. — I'm planning to go to Vũng Tàu this weekend.
- Tết này anh có định về quê không? — Are you planning to go back to your hometown for Tết?
- Em định gọi chị mà quên. — I meant to call you, but I forgot.
- Saigon: Tháng sau tụi em tính chuyển nhà. | Hà Nội: Tháng sau bọn em định chuyển nhà. — We're planning to move house next month.

## Words in this pattern

- [định](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/dinh-intend/#lx_dinh): intend
- [tính](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/tinh-calculate/#s_tinh_plan): plan

## Compare

- [Saying it will happen: sẽ](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/se-future/): will
- [Want to: muốn + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/muon-want/): want to

Previous in Can, must, should, want: [Perhaps: có lẽ](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-le-perhaps/)
Next in Can, must, should, want: [Please (inviting): Mời + person + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/moi-invite/)

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