mọi — Every, All (Collective)

Meaning & Usage

The Vietnamese word mọi functions as a quantifier, similar to “every” or “all” in English. It is used to refer to every single member or instance within a group or category, emphasizing the universality or inclusiveness of a statement. While both “every” and “all” can be used in English, mọi specifically highlights a comprehensive inclusion, implying that something applies to each and every item or person in a general, often unspecified, collection.

Think of mọi as making a statement that is universally true for a given type of noun. For example, when you say “mọi người,” you're not just saying “all people” in the sense of a specific group, but rather “everyone” or “every person” in a general, encompassing way. It implies a survey of all relevant individuals or items, and the statement holds true for each one.

This differs from [mỗi, which also translates to “every” or “each,” but focuses on the individual element within a group. While mọi implies a collective truth, mỗi highlights a distributive action or characteristic. For instance, “mọi người đều thích…” (everyone likes…) implies a shared preference across the board, whereas “mỗi người nhận một phần…” (each person receives a portion…) focuses on the individual distribution.

It also differs from tất cả, which means “all” or “the whole set.” Tất cả typically refers to a defined, finite group where you are explicitly talking about the entirety of that group. For example, “tất cả học sinh trong lớp” (all the students in the class) refers to a specific set of students. Mọi, on the other hand, is often more general and abstract, referring to categories or types rather than specific, delimited sets.

When you use mọi, you are expressing that something is universally applicable to a type or category. It doesn't carry significant formal or informal nuances and is widely used across different contexts in both Northern and Southern Vietnamese dialects. Its primary role is to convey comprehensive inclusion.

Structure & Formation

The structure for using mọi is generally straightforward and follows a simple pattern in Vietnamese:

mọi + Noun

In this construction, mọi always precedes the noun it modifies. The noun can refer to people, things, places, or time units, signifying “every” or “all” of that particular noun. It acts as an adjectival quantifier, directly modifying the noun without the need for classifiers in most cases, unlike numbers or some other quantifiers.

Common Combinations:

• mọi người: everyone, all people

• mọi thứ: everything, all things

• mọi việc: everything (all matters/tasks), all affairs

• mọi lúc: every time, always

• mọi nơi: everywhere, all places

• mọi ngày: every day

• mọi tuần: every week

• mọi năm: every year

This structure emphasizes the collective nature. While classifiers are integral to Vietnamese grammar, mọi typically directly precedes the noun without an intervening classifier, particularly when the noun is a general term like người, thứ, việc. In cases where a more specific noun might normally take a classifier (e.g., cái bàn - a table), mọi is less commonly used to refer to 'every specific item' unless the item is generalized (e.g., mọi cái bàn would sound a bit odd; mọi đồ vật - every object - is more common).

Example Sentences

General Statements & People

Things & Situations

Time & Place

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Confusing 'mọi' with 'mỗi'

❌ Mọi học sinh nhận một quyển sách.

✅ Mỗi học sinh nhận một quyển sách.

Explanation: While both translate to 'every/each', mọi implies a collective, universal statement ("all students want to learn"), whereas mỗi focuses on individual distribution or action ("each student receives a book"). In the incorrect sentence, the action of 'receiving one book' is distributed individually, so mỗi is appropriate. If you meant 'all students received one book (collectively)', you might use 'tất cả học sinh nhận một quyển sách'.

Mistake 2: Incorrect word order or use with specific singular items

❌ Tôi đọc một mọi quyển sách.

✅ Tôi đọc mọi quyển sách.

Explanation: mọi always precedes the noun it modifies. It doesn't typically combine with numbers like 'một' directly before the noun it quantifies. 'Mọi quyển sách' already implies 'every book'. If you meant 'every single book,' mọi already carries that meaning.

Mistake 3: Overusing 'mọi' when 'tất cả' or a simpler phrasing is more natural for a defined group

❌ Mọi thành viên trong đội đều có mặt.

✅ Tất cả thành viên trong đội đều có mặt.

Explanation: While 'mọi' isn't strictly wrong here, 'tất cả' (all, the whole set) is often more natural when referring to a specific, defined group, like "all members in the team." Mọi tends to be broader and more general (e.g., "mọi người đều thích bóng đá" - everyone likes football), whereas tất cả is good for summing up specific sets.

Mistake 4: Using 'mọi' with verbs directly without a noun

❌ Mọi làm việc chăm chỉ.

✅ Mọi người làm việc chăm chỉ.

Explanation: mọi is a quantifier that modifies a noun. It cannot stand alone as a pronoun or subject. It must be followed by a noun, such as người (person/people), việc (matter/work), thứ (thing), etc., to form a complete meaningful phrase like "everyone," "everything," etc.

Cultural Notes

Mọi is a highly versatile and common word in everyday Vietnamese. Its inclusive nature makes it particularly useful in various social contexts. For instance, the phrase “Kính chào mọi người!” (Respectful greetings to everyone!) is a common and polite way to address a group at the beginning of a meeting, speech, or gathering. Similarly, when inviting guests, one might say “Mời mọi người vào!” (Please everyone, come in!).

The use of mọi reflects a cultural emphasis on community and collective experience. Statements involving “mọi người” often imply a shared understanding, a universal sentiment, or a general rule that applies to all members of a group or society. It helps to create a sense of unity and shared experience. There are no significant differences in the usage or connotation of mọi between Northern and Southern Vietnamese dialects; it is universally understood and employed across the country.

Furthermore, phrases like “Mọi việc đều ổn” (Everything is fine) are common reassurances, indicating that all aspects of a situation are under control. This reflects a practical and often optimistic outlook, suggesting that a comprehensive check has been made, and all is well. Understanding mọi is key to grasping these everyday nuances in Vietnamese communication.

Related Grammar Points

• vì...nên — Because...So (Cause & Effect) (Grammar A2)
• nào...cũng — Any...Also (Whatever/Wherever/Whenever) (Grammar A2)
• cứ — Keep Doing / Go Ahead in Vietnamese (Grammar A2)
• đây, đấy, đó, kia — Here, There, Over There (Grammar A2)
• tao, mày — Intimate/Rough Pronouns (Grammar A2)
• ngôi — Classifier for Houses & Buildings (Grammar A2)

Practice Tips

For NLTV A2 learners, mastering mọi is crucial for expressing general statements and common occurrences. You'll likely encounter mọi in reading comprehension passages, where you need to understand the universal scope of a statement, and in sentence construction exercises.

Here are some tips for practicing mọi:

• Differentiate 'mọi' from 'mỗi' and 'tất cả': Actively create sentences using all three words and then explain the subtle difference in meaning for each. For example: Mọi người đều ăn cơm. (Everyone eats rice - universal truth). Mỗi người ăn một bát cơm. (Each person eats one bowl of rice - individual action). Tất cả học sinh trong lớp đang ăn cơm. (All the students in the class are eating rice - specific group).

• Describe daily routines: Use mọi to talk about things you do every day, every week, or every morning. For instance, “Tôi uống cà phê mọi buổi sáng,” (I drink coffee every morning) or “Mọi tuần, tôi đi chợ.” (Every week, I go to the market.)

• Generalize observations: Practice making statements about the world around you. “Mọi người Việt Nam đều thích phở.” (All Vietnamese people like pho – a common generalization). “Mọi thành phố lớn đều có nhiều xe cộ.” (Every big city has a lot of traffic.)

• Listen for 'mọi' in conversations: Pay attention to how native speakers use phrases like “mọi người,” “mọi thứ,” and “mọi lúc” in natural conversation, TV shows, or songs.

• Role-playing: Imagine you are giving an announcement or a welcoming speech. Practice using “Kính chào mọi người” or “Mời mọi người cùng tham gia.”

In A2 level tests, you might encounter fill-in-the-blank questions requiring you to choose between mọi, mỗi, or tất cả based on the context, or rearrange words to form a correct sentence using mọi. Focus on understanding the core concept of universality and inclusivity that mọi conveys.