# đấy meaning in Vietnamese: that (A1)

> đấy means “that, there” in Vietnamese. It can also mean question softener, you know, someone, something. Examples with audio.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/day-that/ · Updated 2026-10-31

**đấy**: that, there · question softener · you know · someone, something

Level: A1 (our estimate)

Typed without accents: day

## 1. that, there (pronoun)

Heard more in the North; Saigon says *đó*.

- Đấy là nhà tôi. — That's my house.
- Tôi ở đấy ba năm. — I lived there for three years.

Said everywhere: [ấy](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/ay-that/#s_ay_that).

Said everywhere: [đó](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/do-that/#lx_do_there).

Level: A1 · Hà Nội only · to recognize

## 2. question softener (particle)

In Hà Nội, it can end a question with a question word to make it softer, as *thế* does. Saigon says *vậy* or *đó*.

- Anh đang làm gì đấy? — What are you up to?
- Chị đi đâu đấy? — Where are you off to?

Also: [thế](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/the-so/#s_the_softener).

In Saigon you say [vậy](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/vay-so/#lx_vay).

Level: A1 · Hà Nội only · to recognize

Grammar: [Softening a question: … vậy / thế?](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/vay-question-softener/)

## 3. you know (particle)

At the end of a statement, Northern *đấy* points the listener at it, like 'you know' or 'mind you'. In Saigon, *đó*.

- Món này ngon lắm đấy. — This dish is really good, you know.
- Mai trời mưa đấy, nhớ mang ô theo nhé. — It's going to rain tomorrow, you know, so remember to take an umbrella.

In Saigon you say [đó](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/do-that/#s_do_emphatic_ending).

Level: A2 · Hà Nội only · to recognize

Grammar: [You know, mind you: … đó / đấy at the end](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/do-day-statement/)

## 4. someone, something (pronoun)

someone (ai đấy), something (gì đấy), somewhere (đâu đấy)

After a question word: *ai đấy* someone, *gì đấy* something, *đâu đấy* somewhere. Saigon says *ai đó*, *gì đó*.

- Hình như có ai đấy ở ngoài. — I think there's someone outside.
- Mình đi đâu đấy ăn nhé. — Let's go and eat somewhere.

Said everywhere: [đó](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/do-that/#s_do_someone).

Level: A2 · Hà Nội only · to recognize

Previous: [đây](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/day-here/)
Next: [đen](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/den-black/)

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