Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tôi | [toj˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [toj˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
|
| tớ | [təː˧˦] (Hà Nội, narrow) [təː˨˩˦] (Huế, narrow) |
informal |
| ta | [taː˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [taː˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
informal |
| tao | [taːw˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [taːw˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
familiar |
| mình | [mïŋ˨˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [mɨn˦˩] (Huế, narrow) |
intimate |
| tui | [tuj˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [tuj˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
South, also |
Which one should you use?
While tôi is a neutral choice, other forms carry distinct social weights: tớ is used among friends of similar age, while mình is used for intimate connections such as between romantic partners. For a more authoritative or literary tone, one might use ta, whereas tao is a very informal and potentially aggressive way to say "I" used in moments of anger or with extremely close friends.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The neutral and polite form is tôi, which is suitable for strangers or formal settings. For informal situations, tớ is used among close friends of a similar age. If you want to be intimate, use mình. Conversely, tao is a highly familiar and aggressive form and ta can feel old-fashioned or literary.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Southern Vietnamese dialects, you may hear the colloquial variation tui used instead of tôi.
Related words
Did you know?
- The neutral pronoun tôi likely evolved from an ancient word meaning 'slave' or 'servant'.
Examples in context
- Tôi đã để ý.I noticed.This sentence shows how to use tôi to express a completed action.Tatoeba #13333952 by leucammieuvu, translation #3821982 by CK
- Tôi bị bắt à?Am I under arrest?This sentence demonstrates a question using tôi.Tatoeba #5026069 by vpdragon, translation #953091 by CK
- Tôi đã tự vệ.I defended myself.This sentence illustrates the use of tôi when describing self-defense.Tatoeba #13599295 by leucammieuvu, translation #5859503 by CK
- Tôi là Nguyễn.I am Nguyễn.
- Cháu xin phép tự giới thiệu, tôi là Hương.May I introduce myself? I am Hương.
- Tớ muốn ăn bánh mì.I want to eat a sandwich.
- 4674 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minh and Chi are introducing themselves at a meeting.
- MinhChào chị, tôi là Minh.Hello, I am Minh.
- ChiChào anh, tôi tên là Chi.Hello, my name is Chi.
- MinhTôi rất vui được gặp chị.I am very glad to meet you.
- ChiTôi cũng vậy, cảm ơn anh.I am too, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I” translations and entries tôi, tớ, ta, tao, mình, tui, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ta, tôi, tớ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
