# Có: have in Vietnamese (A1)

> Có means "have": Tôi có hai con mèo. I have two cats. The owner comes first, then có, then the thing.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-have/ · Updated 2026-11-09

**have**

Pattern: `[person] + có + [noun] · không có / chưa có + [noun]`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: co

Variants:

- có + noun as an adjective (có ích, có lý)

*Có* means "have": *Tôi có hai con mèo.* I have two cats. The owner comes first, then *có*, then the thing.

For "don't have", put *không* in front: *Tôi không có xe.* If you expect to have it one day, use *chưa có* (not yet): *Em chưa có người yêu.* I'm still single. That's also how people say they aren't married: *chưa có gia đình*.

To ask, wrap it in *có … không*, with only one *có*: *Anh có Zalo không?* Answer *có* or *không*.

Before *nhiều* (a lot) and *ít* (a little), *có* is often dropped in speech: *Dạo này tôi nhiều việc quá.* I've got so much work lately.

A few fixed phrases put *có* before a noun to make a describing word: *có ích* (useful, literally "have use"), *có lý* (makes sense).

Two other uses look the same. With a place first, *có* means "there is": *Ở đây có wifi không?* And *có* before a verb never means "have to"; it stresses that something really happens or happened. "Have to" is *phải*.

## A common mistake

✗ Tôi có không xe.

✓ Tôi không có xe.

*Không* goes in front of *có*: *không có*, "don't have".

## Examples

- Chị có hai đứa con. — I have two kids.
- Anh có Zalo không? — Are you on Zalo?
- Em không có tiền lẻ. — I don't have any small change.
- Em chưa có người yêu. — I'm still single.
- Dạo này tôi nhiều việc quá. — I've got so much work lately.

## Words in this pattern

- [có](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/co-have/#lx_co_verb): have

## Compare

- [There is, there are: (place) + có + noun](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-there-is/): there is / are
- [Did indeed: stressed có before the verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-emphatic/): do (emphatic)
- [Yes/no questions with có … không](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-khong-question/): yes/no question

Previous in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [By oneself: tự … (lấy), một mình](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/tu-lay-by-oneself/)
Next in Là, có, and how verbs work together: [Is (a noun): là links two nouns](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/la-noun/)

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