# Rằng / là: that (+ sentence) in Vietnamese (A2)

> After verbs like nói (say), nghĩ (think), biết (know) and nghe (hear), the word for "that" is là in speech and rằng in writing: Ảnh nói là mai ảnh không…

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/rang-la-that/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**that (+ sentence)**

Pattern: `[person] + nói / nghĩ / biết + (rằng / là) + [sentence]`

Level: A2 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: rang, la

After verbs like *nói* (say), *nghĩ* (think), *biết* (know) and *nghe* (hear), the word for "that" is *là* in speech and *rằng* in writing: *Ảnh nói là mai ảnh không tới.* He said he isn't coming tomorrow. (In Hà Nội, *Anh ấy nói là mai anh ấy không đến*.)

Just like English "that", it can be left out: *Em nghĩ chị nói đúng* and *Em nghĩ là chị nói đúng* both mean "I think you're right". With *nói* and *nghĩ*, *là* is very common in speech.

*Rằng* sounds written. You'll meet it in the news, in letters and in speeches: *Tôi tin rằng mọi chuyện sẽ ổn.* I believe everything will be fine. In a chat with friends, *là* is the natural choice. In the news, *cho rằng* means "hold the view that".

The part after *là* is a full sentence, with its own subject and its own *không*. For "I don't think he'll come", Vietnamese usually puts *không* in that second part: *Em nghĩ là ảnh không tới.*

For "whether", there's no *là*. Put *có … không* inside the sentence instead: *Em không biết ảnh có tới không.* I don't know whether he's coming.

## Examples

- Saigon: Ảnh nói là mai ảnh không tới. | Hà Nội: Anh ấy nói là mai anh ấy không đến. — He said he isn't coming tomorrow.
- Em nghĩ là chị nói đúng. — I think you're right.
- Em biết là anh bận, nhưng em cần anh giúp. — I know you're busy, but I need your help.
- Tôi tin rằng mọi chuyện sẽ ổn. — I believe everything will be fine.

## Words in this pattern

- [là](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/la-be/#s_la_that): that
- [rằng](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/rang-that/#s_rang_that): that

## Compare

- [I think he isn't …: không goes in the part after nghĩ là](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/negation-in-subclause/): negation after think
- [Holding a view: cho rằng](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/cho-rang/): hold that, believe
- [Whether: có … không inside a sentence, never nếu](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/whether-co-khong/): whether
- [I find, I feel: thấy + adjective or sentence](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/thay-feel-find/): feel; find (in my view)

Previous in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [Telling, making, asking someone to: kêu / bảo, bắt, nhờ + person + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/causative-bao-bat/)
Next in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [The very, exactly: chính](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/chinh-very/)

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