# Là: to be (+ noun) in Vietnamese (A1)

> Là works like "is", "am" or "are", mainly to link a person or thing to a noun: Chị là Lan. I'm Lan. Đây là chồng tôi. This is my husband.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/la-noun/ · Updated 2026-11-09

**to be (+ noun)**

Pattern: `[person or thing] + là + [noun]`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: la

*Là* works like "is", "am" or "are", mainly to link a person or thing to a noun: *Chị là Lan.* I'm Lan. *Đây là chồng tôi.* This is my husband. *Hôm nay là thứ bảy.* Today is Saturday.

It never changes form: the same *là* for "I", "you", "she" and "they", and for past and future. *Hồi đó ảnh là sinh viên.* He was a student back then (in Hà Nội, *anh ấy*).

Don't put it before an adjective to describe something: *Tôi mệt* already means "I am tired". (In speech you'll hear an emphatic *là*, as in *Vậy là được rồi.* That's fine, then. Plain description needs none.) It isn't for places either. To say where someone is, use *ở*: *Tôi ở Sài Gòn.* I'm in Saigon, or I live in Saigon.

For "is not", say *không phải là*: *Tôi không phải là bác sĩ.* In everyday speech *là* is often dropped, especially with days and after *không phải*: *Hôm nay thứ mấy?* What day is it today? *Tôi không phải bác sĩ.* I'm not a doctor. To ask, add *phải không* at the end, or use *có phải là … không*; plain *có … không* doesn't go round *là*. For jobs, *làm* (work as) is just as common as *là*.

## A common mistake

✗ Tôi là ở Sài Gòn.

✓ Tôi ở Sài Gòn.

*Là* links two nouns. For where someone is, use *ở*, which already means "be at" or "live in".

## Examples

- Chị là Lan, bạn của Minh. — I'm Lan, Minh's friend.
- Đây là chồng tôi. — This is my husband.
- Hôm nay là thứ bảy. — Today is Saturday.
- Saigon: Ba em là bác sĩ. | Hà Nội: Bố em là bác sĩ. — My dad is a doctor.
- Saigon: Hồi đó ảnh là sinh viên. | Hà Nội: Hồi đó anh ấy là sinh viên. — He was a student back then.

## Words in this pattern

- [là](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/la-be/#lx_la): to be

## Compare

- [Adjectives need no là: Chị ấy đẹp](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/adj-no-la/): no 'to be' before adjectives
- [Is not (a noun): không phải là](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khong-phai-la/): is not
- [Jobs: là / làm + job, làm gì?](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/la-lam-job/): be / work as
- [Saying and asking a name: tên (là) …](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/ten-la-name/): my name is / what's your name?

Previous in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [Have: có](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-have/)
Next in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [Jobs: là / làm + job, làm gì?](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/la-lam-job/)

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