# Thật / thật là: really in Vietnamese (A2)

> Thật means "real, true", and after an adjective it means "really": Ngon thật! It really is good! It confirms something, often what you'd heard or hoped.

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

**really**

Pattern: `thật (là) + [adjective] · [adjective] + thật! · [adjective] + thật là + [adjective]!`

Level: A2 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: that, that la

Saigon: thật; thiệt | Hà Nội: thật

*Thật* means "real, true", and after an adjective it means "really": *Ngon thật!* It really is good! It confirms something, often what you'd heard or hoped. A friend said the place was good; you taste it and agree. In Saigon it's pronounced *thiệt*, and chats and dialogue often write it that way: *Ngon thiệt!*

Before an adjective, use *thật là*: *Hôm nay thật là vui.* Today was really fun. It sounds heartfelt, like "truly". Plain *thật* before the adjective, as in *cảnh thật đẹp* (truly beautiful scenery), sounds more written. Songs and stories sometimes put the adjective on both sides: *vui thật là vui*.

On its own, it asks or tells whether something is true: *Thiệt hả?* Really? (in Hà Nội, *Thật à?*). *Nói thật, …* means "to be honest, …".

Compared with *rất*, which just says "very", *thật* adds "and I mean it". *Quá* reacts in the moment; *thật* agrees or confirms. In writing and formal speech, *thật sự* means "truly": *Tôi thật sự xin lỗi.* I'm truly sorry.

## Examples

- Ngon thật! — It really is good!
- Hôm nay thật là vui. — Today was really fun.
- Saigon: Thiệt hả anh? | Hà Nội: Thật à anh? — Really?
- Nói thật, em không thích món này lắm. — To be honest, I don't really like this dish.

## Words in this pattern

- [thật](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/that-really/#s_that_really): really

## Compare

- [Very: rất before the adjective](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/rat-very/): very

Previous in How much, and comparing: [Not as … as: không … bằng / như](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khong-bang-less/)
Next in How much, and comparing: [So …! (surprise): adjective + vậy / thế](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/the-vay-so-adj/)

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