Whoever … that one: ai … người đó, sao … vậy

A question word can appear in the first half of a sentence and be picked up by a pointing word in the second, giving "whoever …, that person …" or "whichever …, that one". Ai đến trước thì người đó vào trước (whoever comes first goes in first). Em thích cái nào thì lấy cái đó (take whichever one you like). The first half sets the condition, usually followed by thì; the second points back with người đó, cái đó or chỗ đó. In writing and in Hà Nội, ấy often replaces đó: người ấy, cái ấy.

With sao (how), the partner is vậy: Thầy nói sao, em làm vậy (I'll do exactly as you say). In Hà Nội you'll also hear thế nào … thế ấy.

A few short versions are fixed sayings, with nấy as the pointing word: Ai làm nấy chịu (whoever does it answers for it), muốn gì được nấy (get whatever you want). Đâu ra đó means "everything in its place": Mọi việc đâu ra đó rồi (everything's sorted). In Hà Nội, đâu vào đấy.

On its own, ai nấy means "everyone, each and every one", and it turns up in the news as well as in speech: Ai nấy đều vui (everyone was happy).

To say "anyone at all" without a second half, use ai cũng: Ai cũng vào được (anyone can go in). The doubled pattern is for when the second half depends on the first.