đây₁ is used when the speaker points to their own location or something close to them. Speakers use đây₁ to bring attention to what is present, nearby, or in the speaker’s space.
It anchors the listener to “where I am / what is with me now”.
[1] – Tôi ở đây₁. I’m here.
→ The speaker shows where they are, usually close or visible.
[2] – Đây₁ là vé của bạn. Here is your ticket.
→ The object is physically close to the speaker.
[3] – Đây₁ là bạn tôi. This is my friend.
→ The person is present or being pointed at.
[4] – Này, đây₁ nè! Hey, here it is!
→ The speaker draws focus to something just found or noticed.
đây₁ vs đó
– đây₁: close to the speaker – đó: close to the listener or a bit farther away
[5a] – Tôi đứng đây₁. I’m standing here.
[5b] – Bạn đứng đó đi. You stand there.
đây₁ vs kia
– đây₁: near – kia: far from both speaker and listener
[6a] – Quán cà phê đây₁. The café here.
[6b] – Quán cà phê kia. The café over there (farther away).
• đây₁ can function like a pronoun or an adverb depending on position.
• Often combined with gestures (pointing, holding, looking).
• Common in spoken Vietnamese.
• Can appear at the beginning or end of a sentence.
• đây₁ refers to physical closeness, not time or abstract ideas.
• đây₁ là + noun
– Đây₁ là nhà tôi. This is my house.
• ở đây₁
– Tôi làm việc ở đây₁. I work here.
• Emphatic spoken form:
– đây₁ nè, đây₁ này
đây₁ is the speaker’s verbal finger pointing to what’s right here, right now.