# Sợ là / e rằng in Vietnamese (B1)

> Sợ means "be afraid of": Em sợ chó. Before a whole sentence, usually with là, it means "I'm afraid that" or "I'm worried that": Đi sớm đi, em sợ là kẹt…

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/so-la-afraid/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**I'm afraid (that), softening bad news**

Pattern: `[person] + sợ (là) + [sentence] · [person] + e (là / rằng) + [sentence] (more careful)`

Level: B1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: so la, e rang

Situations: [At work](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/?use=work)

Variants:

- e rằng (written)
- ngại (là)

*Sợ* means "be afraid of": *Em sợ chó.* Before a whole sentence, usually with *là*, it means "I'm afraid that" or "I'm worried that": *Đi sớm đi, em sợ là kẹt xe.* Let's leave early, I'm worried there'll be traffic (in Hà Nội, *tắc đường*).

Like English "I'm afraid", it also softens bad news or a refusal: *Em sợ là mai em không đi được.* I'm afraid I can't make it tomorrow. The person comes first, and *là* can be left out, just as after *nói* or *nghĩ*.

*E là* means the same and sounds more careful, so it suits talking to a boss or a customer: *Tôi e là dự án sẽ trễ hạn.* I'm afraid the project will miss its deadline. *E rằng* is the written form, since *rằng* is the written "that". *Ngại* is gentler still, and usually means you hesitate so as not to trouble anyone: *Em ngại làm phiền chị.* I don't like to bother you.

*Chắc* (probably) makes a plain guess: *Chắc ảnh không tới.* He's probably not coming. *Em sợ là ảnh không tới* is the same guess, but you'd rather it weren't true. *Biết đâu* keeps a chance open, often a hopeful one, and *liệu* simply asks: *Liệu ảnh có tới không?* I wonder if he'll come.

## Examples

- Saigon: Đi sớm đi, em sợ là kẹt xe. | Hà Nội: Đi sớm đi, em sợ là tắc đường. — Let's leave early, I'm worried there'll be traffic.
- Em sợ là mình không kịp đâu. — I'm afraid we won't make it.
- Em sợ là mai em không đi được. — I'm afraid I can't make it tomorrow.
- Tôi e là dự án sẽ trễ hạn. — I'm afraid the project will miss its deadline.

## Compare

- [That (after say, think): rằng / là](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/rang-la-that/): that (+ sentence)
- [Probably, must be: chắc (là)](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/chac-probably/): probably
- [Who knows, maybe: biết đâu](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/biet-dau-maybe/): who knows, maybe
- [I wonder whether: liệu … (có) … không?](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/lieu-wonder/): I wonder whether; will it really

Previous in Can, must, should, want: [Had better: nên … thì hơn](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/nen-thi-hon/)
Next in Can, must, should, want: [Should have: đáng lẽ (ra), lẽ ra](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/dang-le-should-have/)

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