# Do + doer + verb: by (the doer) in Vietnamese (A2)

> To say who made, wrote or organised something, put do before the doer, then the verb: Bài hát này do Trịnh Công Sơn viết.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/do-passive-agent/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**by (the doer)**

Pattern: `[thing] + (là) + do + [doer] + [verb]`

Level: A2 (our estimate) · Register: formal

To say who made, wrote or organised something, put *do* before the doer, then the verb: *Bài hát này do Trịnh Công Sơn viết.* This song was written by Trịnh Công Sơn. The thing comes first, and there's no *được* or *bị*.

You'll see it most in writing: on programmes, signs and labels, and in the news: *Chuyến đi này do công ty tổ chức.* This trip is organised by the company. In speech, *là do* is common when you say who made something or who's responsible: *Món này là do má em nấu.* My mum made this dish.

*Được* + doer + verb also says who did something, but it's about a person who was glad of it: *Em được cô khen.* I was praised by the teacher. *Do* is neutral, and it points at who made something or is in charge of it. Formal writing sometimes puts *bởi* and the doer after the verb instead: *được thực hiện bởi*. That's a later, written pattern.

Don't mix this up with *do* meaning "because of", also formal: *Do mưa lớn, đường bị ngập.* There *do* is followed by a cause, not by a doer and a verb.

## Examples

- Bài hát này do Trịnh Công Sơn viết. — This song was written by Trịnh Công Sơn.
- Chuyến đi này do công ty tổ chức. — This trip is organised by the company.
- Saigon: Món này là do má em nấu. | Hà Nội: Món này là do mẹ em nấu. — My mum made this dish.
- Bức tranh này do một họa sĩ Huế vẽ. — This painting is by an artist from Huế.

## Compare

- [Passive for good things: được + (doer) + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/duoc-passive/): is …ed (welcome)
- [By, in written passives: được / bị … bởi](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/boi-passive/): by (in written passives)
- [Due to, because (formal): do](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/do-due-to/): due to

Previous in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [It only takes … to: chỉ … là …](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/chi-la/)
Next in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [Making someone feel or do: làm (cho)](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/lam-cho-cause/)

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