Reflexive Pronoun 'mình'

01

Reflexive Pronoun (Myself, Yourself, Themselves)

The most standard grammatical use of mình is as a reflexive pronoun. It refers back to the subject of the sentence, regardless of gender or number. It corresponds to English words like myself, himself, herself, or themselves.

This is often used with verbs related to looking, thinking, or acting upon oneself.

• Tôi nhìn mình trong gương.

  I look at myself in the mirror.

• Cô ấy tự trách mình.

  She blames herself.

02

Possessive Reflexive (My own, His own)

Vietnamese speakers frequently use mình to avoid repeating a pronoun in a sentence. Instead of saying "He likes his (his) car," which sounds repetitive, you say "He likes self's car."

In this context, mình replaces the possessive pronoun (my, your, his, her, their) when the possessor is the same person as the subject.

• Anh ấy yêu vợ mình.

  He loves his (own) wife.

• Họ lo cho gia đình mình.

  They worry about their (own) family.

• Bạn nên giữ đồ của mình cẩn thận.

  You should keep your (own) things carefully.

03

Using 'Mình' as "I" (First Person)

In Southern Vietnamese and casual daily conversation (especially online or in text messages), mình is used to mean I or me.

Using mình instead of the standard tôi creates a softer, friendlier, and more intimate tone. It removes the stiffness of tôi and the social hierarchy of age-based pronouns (like anh or em). It is very common when talking to friends or writing diary entries.

• Note: In Northern Vietnam, the equivalent for this friendly "I" is often tớ, but in the South, mình is preferred.

• Mình đang đi siêu thị.

  I am going to the supermarket.

• Hôm nay mình buồn quá.

  I am so sad today.

• Bạn đợi mình một chút nha.

  Wait for me a little bit, okay?

04

Using 'Mình' as "You" (Intimate)

In a romantic context between a husband and wife or long-term partners, mình is used to address the other person. In this specific case, it means you, but carries the weight of "honey," "darling," or "sweetheart."

This usage implies that the two people are so close they are practically "one body."

• Mình ăn cơm chưa?

  Have you eaten rice yet? (Honey, have you eaten?)

• Mình ơi, lại đây nè.

  Honey, come here.

05

Expression: Một mình (Alone)

Because mình means "body," adding the number one (một) before it creates the phrase "one body," which translates to alone or by oneself.

• Tôi sống một mình.

  I live alone.

• Ảnh đang ngồi một mình.

  He is sitting alone.