tôi and bạn: saying I and you
VietnameseA1 — BeginnerPronouns and kinship terms
Patterntôi (I / me) · bạn (you, a peer)
How it works
Tôi is the neutral 'I' — safe with strangers, in class and at work. Bạn is 'you' for someone about your age; it literally means 'friend'. Pronouns never change form: tôi is both 'I' and 'me', bạn is 'you' as subject or object. Common mistake: calling an older person bạn — it sounds cheeky; use kinship terms instead (next lesson). Avoid tao/mày: they are rude unless you are very close friends.
Examples
Tôi học tiếng Việt.I study Vietnamese.
Bạn khỏe không?How are you?
Bạn tôi thích bạn.My friend likes you.
Practise this point with instant checkingInteractive lesson · 5 minutes · free
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Practice (8)
Choose
Cảm ơn bạn đã giúp ＿＿.
Hint: Thank you for helping me.
- tôi ấy
- của tôi
- tôi
- cho tôi
Show answer
Answer: tôi
There is no object form: tôi means both 'I' and 'me'. Của tôi means 'my/mine', not 'me'.
There is no object form: tôi means both 'I' and 'me'. Của tôi means 'my/mine', not 'me'.
Choose
You are talking to a classmate your age. Which word means 'you'?
- ông
- tôi
- bạn
- mày
Show answer
Answer: bạn
Bạn is the neutral peer 'you'. Ông is for an old man; mày is rude or very intimate.
Bạn is the neutral peer 'you'. Ông is for an old man; mày is rude or very intimate.
Choose
Which is the safest way to say 'I' to a stranger?
- tôi
- mình
- tao
- ta
Show answer
Answer: tôi
Tôi is neutral and polite. Tao is rude, mình is casual among friends, ta sounds lofty or old-fashioned.
Tôi is neutral and polite. Tao is rude, mình is casual among friends, ta sounds lofty or old-fashioned.
Choose
Choose the correct sentence: 'She likes me.' (about a classmate: bạn ấy)
- Bạn ấy thích tôi ấy.
- Bạn ấy thích của tôi.
- Bạn ấy thích tôi.
- Thích tôi bạn ấy.
Show answer
Answer: Bạn ấy thích tôi.
Word order is subject–verb–object like English, and tôi stays the same as an object.
Word order is subject–verb–object like English, and tôi stays the same as an object.
Fill in
Chào bạn, ＿＿ tên là Anna.
Hint: Hi, my name is Anna.
Show answer
Answer: tôi
In 'tôi tên là…' tôi works like 'my': literally 'I name is Anna'.
In 'tôi tên là…' tôi works like 'my': literally 'I name is Anna'.
Fill in
Cảm ơn ＿＿!
Hint: Thank you! (to a friend your age)
Show answer
Answer: bạn
Cảm ơn + the person you thank. For a peer, that person is bạn.
Cảm ơn + the person you thank. For a peer, that person is bạn.
Put in order
Put in order: I love you.
- bạn.
- Tôi
- yêu
Show answer
Answer: Tôi yêu bạn.
Subject + verb + object, same order as English.
Subject + verb + object, same order as English.
Put in order
Put in order: My friend studies Vietnamese.
- tiếng Việt.
- Bạn tôi
- học
Show answer
Answer: Bạn tôi học tiếng Việt.
'My friend' is bạn tôi: the owner comes AFTER the noun.
'My friend' is bạn tôi: the owner comes AFTER the noun.