này

The word này is a proximal demonstrative, meaning it points to something close to the speaker.

1. Word Order
It comes after the noun and any adjectives. The basic structure is:

• [Classifier] + Noun + [Adjective] + này

For example, to say "this table", you say cái bàn này (literally: classifier table this). If you add an adjective, này follows it: cái bàn lớn này (this big table). When adding a possessive, này can come either before or after it, but the meaning shifts slightly. Cái bàn này của tôi is a neutral statement (this table of mine), whereas cái bàn của tôi này is highly presentational, drawing attention to the object (Here is my table! / Look at this table of mine!).

2. Singular vs. Plural
Này does not change form for plurals. To say "these", you simply add a plural marker like những at the beginning of the phrase:

• những cái bàn này = these tables

3. Time Words
You can attach này directly to many time words to mean "this" or "current":

• tuần này = this week
• tháng này = this month
• dạo này = recently / these days
• lúc này = at this moment / right now
• giờ này = this time

However, for certain time words like "year" and parts of the day, you typically use the distinct word nay (meaning "now" or "present") to refer to the current time period:

• năm nay = this year
• sáng nay = this morning
• trưa nay = this noon
• chiều nay = this afternoon
• tối nay / đêm nay = tonight
• hôm nay = today

Note that này can still be used with these words if you are pointing to a specific time in a narrative or on a calendar (e.g., năm này = this specific year). Be careful with the word for "day". While hôm nay means "today", ngày nay means "nowadays". If you want to say "this specific day" (like "this day last year"), you use ngày này.

Additionally, nay is used with time words to indicate a duration leading up to the present:

• mấy tháng nay = for the past few months

4. Này vs. Đây
Learners often confuse này with đây.

• As a demonstrative in standard Vietnamese, này is a modifier that attaches to a noun or classifier (e.g., cái này = this thing). However, in casual, everyday speech, the classifier is often dropped, allowing này to stand alone as a subject (e.g., Này là gì? = What is this?).
• Đây is a pronoun that can stand alone as a subject (e.g., Đây là sách = This is a book). It is also the primary word for "here" (e.g., ở đây = here), which is why the two concepts are often mixed up.

5. "Like This" (Thế này / Như thế này)
Này is frequently combined with thế or như thế to describe the manner of an action or the degree of a state, meaning "like this" or "this way":

• Làm như thế này. = Do it like this.
• Nhiều thế này! = This much!

6. Drawing Attention
Này can also be used at the end of a short sentence to draw someone's attention to an immediate action or an object right in front of the speaker:

• Ăn đi này! = Here, eat this!
• Nhìn này! = Look at this!

It is also frequently paired with đây at the end of a sentence to mean "right here!":

• Nó ở đây này! = It is right here!

Note: Này is also commonly used as a standalone interjection at the beginning of a sentence to mean "Hey!" or "Listen!" (e.g., Này, bạn đi đâu đấy?). In Southern Vietnam, you may hear people pronounce the demonstrative as nầy, and in Central Vietnam as ni.