Definition

1. Personal pronoun:
   • He, she, it: A third-person singular pronoun used to refer to a person of lower social status (e.g., a child, a subordinate) or to an animal, object, or abstract concept that has just been mentioned.
   • Him, her, it: The objective form, used as the object of a verb or preposition.

Usage

• Referring to people (of lower status): Used for children, younger individuals, or subordinates. It is not typically used to refer to elders, superiors, or in formal contexts for equals.
  • Bố nó mắng nó. (His father scolded him.)
• Referring to animals, objects, or concepts: Used for non-human entities.
  • Chiếc xe tung lên sau nó một làn bụi dài. (The car threw up a long trail of dust behind it.)
• Possessive meaning (its, his, her): When used with a noun, it indicates possession, though this is often implied through context rather than a direct grammatical structure like "'s" in English.
  • Em nó (His/Her younger sibling)
• Expletive/Emphatic particle: Used informally to add emphasis or a casual tone, often not directly translatable.
  • Cái tính tôi nó thế. (That's just how my personality is.)

Examples

• Referring to a person:
  • Tôi ghét nó. (I hate him/her.)
  • Nó và tôi đi chơi. (He/She and I went out.)
• Referring to an object or animal:
  • Con chó đó dữ lắm, đừng lại gần nó. (That dog is very fierce, don't go near it.)
  • Quyển sách ở trên bàn. Lấy nó cho tôi. (The book is on the table. Get it for me.)
• Referring to a child:
  • Hãy dắt đứa bé đi và cho nó uống nước. (Take the child and give him/her a drink.)
• Possessive context:
  • Đâu phải việc nó. (It's not his/her/its business.)

Advanced Usage

• "Chính nó": Himself, herself, itself. Used for emphasis.
  • Chính nó đã làm điều đó. (He/She/It itself did that.)
• Contrast with other pronouns: Unlike "anh ấy" (he, formal), "cô ấy" (she, formal), or "nó" for animals/objects, using "nó" for a person can imply familiarity, lower status, or sometimes disrespect, depending on context.

Variants and Related Words

• Hắn (pronoun): He, him. Often used for males, can carry a negative or familiar connotation, stronger than "nó".
• Y (pronoun): He, him; she, her. Literary or old-fashioned, sometimes pejorative.
• Nó in Northern vs. Southern dialects: Usage nuances can differ; in some Southern contexts, it might be used more broadly for inanimate objects.

Synonyms

• Anh ấy: He, him (polite, for a male of similar/older age).
• Cô ấy: She, her (polite, for a female of similar/older age).
• Nó (for objects): Nó (it).

Notes on Usage

• Formality: Using "nó" to refer to an adult, especially an elder or superior, is generally impolite. Use "anh ấy/cô ấy" or their name/title instead.
• Gender: "Nó" is gender-neutral. Context determines whether "he," "she," or "it" is appropriate in translation.
• Animacy: Commonly used for pets and animals ("con mèo" -> "nó"). For very respected animals (e.g., a royal elephant), a respectful pronoun might be used.

noun

1. he
   • nó và tôi
     He and I
2. Him
   • tôi ghét nó
     I hate him
3. It
   • hãy dắt đứa bé đi và cho nó uống nước
     Bring the child and give it a drink