Personal Pronouns

01

Standard Personal Pronouns

There are a few neutral pronouns that do not depend on family hierarchy, though they are often considered formal or distant.

• Tôi: The standard word for I. It is polite and safe to use with strangers, in formal settings, or when the age gap is unclear. However, using it with close friends or family can sound stiff or angry.
• Bạn: The standard word for you (literally friend). It is used for people of the same age or strangers.
• Họ: The standard word for they. It refers to a group of people in the third person.

• Tôi là sinh viên.

  I am a student.

• Bạn tên là gì?

  What is your name?

• Họ đang làm việc.

  They are working.

02

Kinship Terms as Pronouns (I and You)

In most daily conversations, speakers address each other as if they were family members. This conveys respect and closeness. The word you choose for you dictates the word you must use for I.

If you call the listener "older brother," you must refer to yourself as "younger sibling."

Common pairs include

• Anh (male) / Chị (female): Used for you when addressing someone slightly older. The speaker refers to themselves as em.
• Em: Used for you when addressing someone younger (male or female). The speaker refers to themselves as anh or chị.
• Cháu: Used for I when speaking to an elder (like an aunt, uncle, or grandparent). The elder is addressed as cô, chú, bác, or ông/bà.

• Em chào chị.

  I (younger) greet you (older sister).

• Anh có khỏe không?

  Are you (older brother) well?

• Cháu cảm ơn bác.

  I (younger generation) thank you (parent's older sibling).

03

Third Person Pronouns (He and She)

Vietnamese does not have a single word for he or she. To refer to a third person, you take the kinship term that applies to them and add the demonstrative word ấy (meaning that).

• Anh ấy: He (literally that older brother).
• Chị ấy: She (literally that older sister).
• Cô ấy: She (literally that aunt/young lady).
• Ông ấy: He (literally that grandfather/gentleman).

• Cô ấy rất thông minh.

  She is very smart.

• Anh ấy đang đợi xe buýt.

  He is waiting for the bus.

04

The Pronoun "Nó"

Nó is a third-person pronoun used for things, animals, children, or close friends of the same age (informal). It functions as it, he, or she depending on context. Be careful using this with adults, as it can be considered rude or condescending.

• Con mèo đâu rồi? Nó đang ngủ.

  Where is the cat? It is sleeping.

• Nó không thích đi học.

  He/She (the child) does not like going to school.

05

Plural Forms

To make a pronoun plural (turning you into you guys), you generally add the particle các before the pronoun.

• Các bạn: You guys (friends/peers).
• Các anh: You guys (group of older males).
• Các em: You guys (group of younger people).

• Chào các bạn.

  Hello everyone (friends).

• Các em trật tự nhé.

  You (younger) guys be quiet, okay.

06

Inclusive vs. Exclusive "We"

Vietnamese distinguishes between two types of we, depending on whether the listener is included in the group.

• Chúng tôi: We (exclusive). Includes the speaker and others, but excludes the listener.
• Chúng ta: We (inclusive). Includes the speaker and the listener.

• Chúng tôi là người Việt Nam.

  We are Vietnamese (telling a foreigner).

• Chúng ta hãy đi ăn tối.

  Let's go eat dinner (you and I together).

07

Reflexive and Intimate "Mình"

The pronoun mình has two distinct uses:

1. Reflexive: It means -self (myself, yourself, himself).

2. Intimate I: It is used as I in very close relationships, such as between couples or best friends. When used this way, it creates a warm, affectionate tone.

• Tôi nhìn mình trong gương.

  I look at myself in the mirror.

• Mình nhớ bạn lắm.

  I miss you very much (intimate).