# Có … không: yes/no question in Vietnamese (A1)

> To ask a yes-or-no question about doing or liking something, put có before the verb and không at the very end.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-khong-question/ · Updated 2026-11-10

**yes/no question**

Pattern: `[person] + có + [verb or adjective] + không?`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: co … khong

Variants:

- [person] + [verb] + không? (có dropped, casual)
- có … hay không?

To ask a yes-or-no question about doing or liking something, put *có* before the verb and *không* at the very end. Nothing else moves: *Anh thích Đà Lạt* (you like Đà Lạt) becomes *Anh có thích Đà Lạt không?*

To answer yes, say *có*, or repeat the verb: *Có*, *Thích lắm*. To answer no, say *không*: *Không, tôi không thích.* In the South a polite answer starts with *dạ*: *Dạ, có.*

Before an adjective, *có* is often left out in speech: *Em mệt không?* (Are you tired?). *Em có mệt không?* is just as correct. In quick speech it's often dropped before verbs too: *Anh ăn cay không?*

Only one *có* goes in. When the verb is itself *có* (have), ask *Chị có xe không?* *Muốn* (want) sits inside: *Em có muốn đi không?* *Có thể* (can) already starts with *có*, so it needs no second one: *Anh có thể giúp tôi không?* Leave *đã* out; for the past, add a time word: *Hôm qua anh có đi làm không?*

*Có … không* doesn't go round *là* and a noun. For "Are you a teacher?", use *có phải là … không*, or put *phải không* at the end. To ask whether something has happened yet, use *đã … chưa*. To check something you've just heard, use *hả*.

## A common mistake

✗ Anh có là giáo viên không?

✓ Anh có phải là giáo viên không?

*Có … không* goes round a verb or an adjective, not round *là*. With *là* and a noun, add *phải*: *có phải là … không*.

## Examples

- Em có thích ăn sầu riêng không? — Do you like durian?
- Dạ, có. Em thích lắm. — Yes, I love it.
- Em mệt không? — Are you tired?
- Hôm qua chị có đi làm không? — Did you go to work yesterday?
- Chị có xe máy không? — Do you have a motorbike?

## Words in this pattern

- [có](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/co-have/#s_co_question): yes/no question
- [không](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/khong-no/#s_khong_question): question ending

## Compare

- [Checking a statement: …, phải không?](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/phai-khong-tag/): …, right?
- [Asking about là-sentences: có phải (là) … không](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-phai-khong/): is it (a) …?
- [Have you … yet? (đã) … chưa](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/da-chua-question/): have you … yet?
- [Double-checking what you just heard: hả / à](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/a-ha-check/): …, huh? / so …?

Previous in Asking questions: [Why? tại sao / vì sao / sao first](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/tai-sao-why/)
Next in Asking questions: [Anyone? Anything? có … ai / gì … không](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/qword-any-question/)

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