# Tưởng: thought (but it wasn't so) in Vietnamese (B1)

> Tưởng means "thought", but only when the thought turned out wrong: Em tưởng hôm nay là thứ bảy. I thought today was Saturday (and it isn't).

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/tuong-mistaken/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**thought (but it wasn't so)**

Pattern: `[person] + tưởng + [sentence]`

Level: B1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: tuong

*Tưởng* means "thought", but only when the thought turned out wrong: *Em tưởng hôm nay là thứ bảy.* I thought today was Saturday (and it isn't). For a thought that may well be right, use *nghĩ* or *thấy*: *Em nghĩ hôm nay là thứ bảy*, I think it's Saturday.

The thought follows straight after, sometimes with *là*: *Tôi tưởng là anh về rồi.* *Cứ tưởng* means "had assumed all along": *Tôi cứ tưởng chị là người Hà Nội.* I'd always assumed you were from Hà Nội. In Saigon it often comes after *ủa*, the little word of surprise: *Ủa, em tưởng anh về rồi.* Oh, I thought you'd gone home.

*Tưởng gì!* on its own means "Oh, is that all?": you thought it was something serious, and it isn't.

Don't confuse it with *tưởng tượng*, "imagine".

## A common mistake

✗ Em tưởng món này ngon.

✓ Em thấy món này ngon.

*Tưởng* says your thought was wrong, so the first sentence tells the cook the food isn't good. For an opinion, use *thấy* or *nghĩ*.

## Examples

- Em tưởng hôm nay là thứ bảy. — I thought today was Saturday.
- Saigon: Ủa, anh chưa về hả? Em tưởng anh về rồi. | Hà Nội: Ơ, anh chưa về à? Em tưởng anh về rồi. — Oh, you haven't gone home? I thought you'd left.
- Tôi cứ tưởng chị là người Hà Nội. — I'd always assumed you were from Hà Nội.
- Tưởng gì, chuyện nhỏ mà! — Oh, is that all? That's nothing!

## Compare

- [That (after say, think): rằng / là](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/rang-la-that/): that (+ sentence)
- [It turns out: hóa ra, thì ra](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/hoa-ra-turns-out/): it turns out, so that's why

Previous in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [Telling someone: kể / nói … cho … nghe](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/cho-nghe/)
Next in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [Topic, then a small sentence about it: Cô ấy tóc dài](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/double-subject/)

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