Language/Vietnamese/Grammar/Pronouns-and-Personal-Pronouns

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Introduction

Welcome to the lesson on pronouns and personal pronouns in Vietnamese! In this lesson, we will explore the various pronouns used in the Vietnamese language, including personal pronouns. Pronouns are an essential part of any language as they help us refer to people, places, things, or ideas without constantly repeating their names. Understanding and using pronouns correctly will greatly enhance your ability to communicate effectively in Vietnamese.

Before we dive into the world of pronouns, let's quickly recap what we have learned so far in this course. As complete beginners, you have already covered greetings and introductions, Vietnamese culture basics, numbers and counting, nouns and gender, and possessive pronouns. Now, it's time to expand our knowledge and delve into the realm of pronouns and personal pronouns.

Pronouns in Vietnamese

Pronouns in Vietnamese play a crucial role in conversation and writing. They enable us to replace nouns, making our sentences more concise and natural. In Vietnamese, pronouns are categorized into several types, including personal pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, interrogative pronouns, and possessive pronouns. In this lesson, we will focus on personal pronouns.

Personal pronouns are used to refer to individuals or groups of individuals. They are divided into different forms based on the subject's role in a sentence, such as the first person, second person, and third person. Vietnamese personal pronouns are flexible and can be adjusted to express politeness and formality.

Let's explore the different forms and usage of personal pronouns in Vietnamese.

First Person Pronouns

First person pronouns refer to the speaker or the group that includes the speaker. In Vietnamese, there are different pronouns for singular and plural first person subjects.

Here are the first person pronouns in Vietnamese:

Vietnamese	Pronunciation	English Translation
Tôi	[tôj]	I, me
Chúng tôi	[t͡ɕuŋ̟ tôj]	We, us

• Tôi: This pronoun is used to refer to oneself. It is equivalent to the English pronoun "I" or "me." For example, "Tôi là Nguyễn." (I am Nguyễn.)

• Chúng tôi: This pronoun is used to refer to a group of people that includes the speaker. It is equivalent to the English pronoun "we" or "us." For example, "Chúng tôi yêu nhau." (We love each other.)

Second Person Pronouns

Second person pronouns refer to the person or people being spoken to. They are used to address individuals or groups directly. In Vietnamese, there are different pronouns for singular and plural second person subjects.

Here are the second person pronouns in Vietnamese:

Vietnamese	Pronunciation	English Translation
Anh	[a̰ɲ]	You (masculine)
Chị	[cʰi]	You (feminine)
Em	[ɛm]	You (young or of lower status)
Các bạn	[kâk bạn]	You (plural)

• Anh: This pronoun is used to address a male or someone older than the speaker. It is equivalent to the English pronoun "you" (masculine). For example, "Anh ấy là ai?" (Who is he?)

• Chị: This pronoun is used to address a female or someone older than the speaker. It is equivalent to the English pronoun "you" (feminine). For example, "Chị ấy đến từ đâu?" (Where is she from?)

• Em: This pronoun is used to address someone younger or someone of lower status than the speaker. It is equivalent to the English pronoun "you." For example, "Em có muốn đi chơi không?" (Do you want to go out?)

• Các bạn: This pronoun is used to address a group of people. It is equivalent to the English pronoun "you" (plural). For example, "Các bạn đã hiểu bài học chưa?" (Have you all understood the lesson?)

Third Person Pronouns

Third person pronouns refer to someone or something that is not the speaker or the person being spoken to. They are used to talk about other people or objects. In Vietnamese, there are different pronouns for singular and plural third person subjects.

Here are the third person pronouns in Vietnamese:

Vietnamese	Pronunciation	English Translation
Anh ấy	[a̰ɲ ʔâj]	He
Cô ấy	[kɔ̂ ʔâj]	She
Họ	[hǒ]	They

• Anh ấy: This pronoun is used to refer to a male or someone older than the speaker. It is equivalent to the English pronoun "he." For example, "Anh ấy là giáo viên." (He is a teacher.)

• Cô ấy: This pronoun is used to refer to a female or someone older than the speaker. It is equivalent to the English pronoun "she." For example, "Cô ấy đẹp quá!" (She is so beautiful!)

• Họ: This pronoun is used to refer to a group of people. It is equivalent to the English pronoun "they." For example, "Họ đến từ Mỹ." (They are from the United States.)

Using Personal Pronouns in Vietnamese

Now that we have learned the different forms of personal pronouns in Vietnamese, let's explore how to use them in sentences.

Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns are used to replace the subject of a sentence. In Vietnamese, subject pronouns are often omitted when the subject is clear from the context. However, they can be used for emphasis or clarification.

Here are some examples of subject pronouns in Vietnamese:

• "Tôi yêu bạn." (I love you.)
• "Anh ấy đang học tiếng Việt." (He is studying Vietnamese.)
• "Cô ấy đến từ Hà Nội." (She is from Hanoi.)
• "Họ là những người tuyệt vời." (They are amazing people.)

In these examples, the subject pronouns "tôi," "anh ấy," "cô ấy," and "họ" are used to explicitly state the subject of the sentence.

Object Pronouns

Object pronouns are used to replace the object of a sentence. In Vietnamese, object pronouns are often omitted when the object is clear from the context. However, they can be used for emphasis or clarification.

Here are some examples of object pronouns in Vietnamese:

• "Anh yêu em." (I love you.)
• "Tôi thấy cô ấy." (I see her.)
• "Cô ấy mời chúng tôi." (She invites us.)
• "Họ biết chúng ta." (They know us.)

In these examples, the object pronouns "em," "cô ấy," "chúng tôi," and "chúng ta" are used to replace the object of the sentence.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns are used to show ownership or possession. In Vietnamese, possessive pronouns agree with the noun they modify in terms of gender and number.

Here are some examples of possessive pronouns in Vietnamese:

• "Đây là quyển sách của tôi." (This is my book.)
• "Đó là chiếc xe của anh." (That is your car.)
• "Đây là ngôi nhà của chị." (This is her house.)
• "Đó là công việc của chúng tôi." (That is our work.)

In these examples, the possessive pronouns "của tôi," "của anh," "của chị," and "của chúng tôi" are used to indicate possession.

Summary

In this lesson, we have explored pronouns and personal pronouns in Vietnamese. We have learned about the different forms and usage of personal pronouns, including first person, second person, and third person pronouns. We have also seen how personal pronouns can be used as subject pronouns, object pronouns, and possessive pronouns in sentences.

Understanding and using personal pronouns correctly is essential for effective communication in Vietnamese. By incorporating personal pronouns into your conversations and writing, you will be able to express yourself more naturally and convey your ideas more clearly.

Take some time to practice using personal pronouns in different contexts. The more you practice, the more comfortable and confident you will become in using pronouns in Vietnamese.

In the next lesson, we will continue our exploration of Vietnamese grammar by learning about possessive pronouns. See you there!

Table of Contents - Vietnamese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Greetings and Introductions

• Hello and Goodbye
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Vietnamese Culture Basics

• Vietnamese Values
• Social Etiquette
• Cuisine and Dining

  ---

Numbers and Counting

• Counting 1-10
• Counting 11-20
• Counting 21 and Beyond

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Nouns and Gender
• Pronouns and Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Holidays and Celebrations

• Tet
• Mid-Autumn Festival

  ---

Verbs and Verb Tenses

• Present Tense Verbs
• Past Tense Verbs
• Future Tense Verbs
• Modal Verbs

  ---

Food and Drink

• Vietnamese Food
• Drinks and Beverages
• Food Ordering

  ---

Arts and Entertainment

• Traditional Music
• Movie and Television

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives
• Adverbs

  ---

Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Giving Directions

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Traditional Clothing

• Ao Dai
• Other Traditional Clothing

Sources

• Vietnamese pronouns - Wikipedia
• Say Pronouns in Vietnamese: I/You/We and My/Your/Our ...
• Language/Vietnamese/Grammar/Pronouns-and-Personal-Pronouns

Other Lessons

• Future Tense
• Personal pronouns
• Conditional Mood
• How to Use Have
• Adverbs
• Adjectives
• Nouns
• 0 to A1 Course
• Present Tense Verbs
• Nouns and Gender

◀️ Nouns and Gender — Previous Lesson

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