Have: có

have

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

A1 · estimate

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.

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

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