In this lesson, we will learn how to express thoughts (what we are thinking) and speech in Vietnamese.
When conveying one’s thoughts or something heard from others, we use specific “thought and speech-related verbs” to construct sentences.
What are Thought and Speech-Related Verbs?
In English, when you want to express your own thoughts to someone else, “I think” is used at the beginning of sentences. When conveying something heard from others, verbs like “said” or “stated” are used.
Similarly to Vietnamese, there are specific verbs used to express thoughts and speech.
Commonly Used Thought and Speech-Related Verbs
| # | English | Vietnamese |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | think | nghĩ |
| 2 | consider, reflect | suy ngẫm, cân nhắc |
| 3 | believe | tin, tin tưởng |
| 4 | say | nói |
| 5 | talk, discuss | bàn tán, chuyện trò |
| 6 | insist | khăng khăng |
| 7 | state, mention | đề cập, bày tỏ |
| 8 | hear, be told | nghe nói, nghe bảo |
Expressing Thoughts and Speech
Structure:
Example Sentences:
① Tôi nghĩ anh ấy sẽ đến muộn.
I think he will arrive late.
② Tôi nghĩ sếp sẽ không đồng ý với kế hoạch này.
I think the boss will not agree with this plan.
③ Tôi tin cô ấy sẽ thành công.
I believe she will succeed.
④ Chị ấy nói chị ấy đã nghỉ việc ở công ty.
She said she had quit the company.
⑤ Anh ấy khăng khăng ý kiến của anh ấy là đúng.
He insisted that his opinion was correct.
⑥ Tôi nghe nói cô ấy sẽ đi hẹn hò cuối tuần này.
I heard that she will go on a date this weekend.
⑦ Trong buổi họp, sếp đã đề cập về phương pháp đánh giá nhân viên.
During the meeting, the boss mentioned the employee evaluation method.
⑧ Trong bài phát biểu, ông Hùng đã đề cập về vấn đề môi trường.
In his speech, Mr. Hùng mentioned environmental issues.