ấy₁ is used when the speaker refers back to something already mentioned or already known in the conversation. Speakers use ấy₁ when they expect the listener to remember which person or thing they mean, without repeating it.
The focus is on shared reference, not distance or pointing.
[1] – Tôi gặp một người hôm qua. Người ấy₁ rất thân thiện. I met someone yesterday. That person was very friendly.
→ ấy₁ replaces repeating “một người”.
[2] – Chuyện ấy₁ tôi không muốn nhắc lại. I don’t want to talk about that matter again.
→ The listener already knows what “chuyện ấy” refers to.
[3] – Anh nói sẽ đến, nhưng việc ấy₁ không xảy ra. He said he would come, but that didn’t happen.
→ ấy₁ refers to the whole idea mentioned before.
ấy₁ vs kia₂
– ấy₁: refers back to something already introduced – kia₂: contrasts with another item
[4a] – Người ấy₁ tôi đã gặp rồi. That person (mentioned before), I’ve already met.
[4b] – Người này khác người kia₂. This person is different from the other one.
ấy₁ vs đó / đấy
– ấy₁: focuses on shared memory – đó / đấy: often used for pointing or emphasis
[5a] – Việc ấy₁ rất quan trọng. That matter (we both know) is very important.
[5b] – Việc đó rất quan trọng. That matter (pointing it out) is very important.
• ấy₁ usually comes after the noun.
• Common in both spoken and written Vietnamese.
• Often used when repeating the noun would sound heavy or unnecessary.
• The listener must already know what is being referred to.
• Noun + ấy₁
– Người ấy₁, chuyện ấy₁, việc ấy₁ that person / that matter / that issue (already known)
• Verb + việc ấy₁
– Giải quyết việc ấy₁. Handle that matter.
ấy₁ helps Vietnamese stay smooth and natural — it lets speakers refer back without repeating themselves.