# có meaning in Vietnamese: to have (A1)

> có means “to have” in Vietnamese. It can also mean yes (reply), yes/no question, there is, did indeed.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/co-have/ · Updated 2026-10-31

**có**: have · yes (reply) · yes/no question · there is · did indeed

Level: A1 (our estimate)

Typed without accents: co

## 1. have (verb)

For "don't have", say *không có*. "Have to" is *phải*, never *có*.

- Tôi có một con chó. — I have a dog.
- Em có thời gian không? — Do you have time?

Level: A1

Grammar: [Have: có](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-have/)

## 2. yes (reply) (verb)

yes

The answer to a *có … không?* question; repeating the verb works too. To someone older, say *Dạ, có*.

- Em có uống cà phê không? – Dạ, có. — Will you have a coffee? – Yes, please.
- Anh có thích Sài Gòn không? – Có, thích lắm. — Do you like Saigon? – Yes, I love it.

Level: A1

Grammar: [Answering yes/no questions: có, không, or the verb again](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/yes-no-answers/)

## 3. yes/no question (particle)

(có … không?) asks a yes-or-no question: do you …?

*Có … không?* asks yes or no: *Anh có nói tiếng Anh không?* The answer is *có* or *không*.

- Em có hiểu không? — Do you understand?
- Anh có thích ăn cay không? — Do you like spicy food?

Level: A1

Grammar: [Yes/no questions with có … không](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-khong-question/)

## 4. there is (verb)

there is, there are

Start with the place, then *có*: *Gần đây có chợ*, literally "near here has a market".

- Gần đây có chợ không? — Is there a market near here?
- Saigon: Trong tủ lạnh không có gì hết. | Hà Nội: Trong tủ lạnh không có gì cả. — There's nothing in the fridge.

Level: A1

Grammar: [There is, there are: (place) + có + noun](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-there-is/)

## 5. did indeed (particle)

Before a verb in a statement, a stressed *có* insists that something really happened, often to answer a doubt: *Em có gọi mà!* (I did call!). It never means "have to".

- Em có học bài mà! — I did study!
- Saigon: Anh có gọi cho em mà, em không bắt máy. | Hà Nội: Anh có gọi cho em mà, em không nghe máy. — I did call you; you just didn't pick up.

Level: A2

Grammar: [Did indeed: stressed có before the verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-emphatic/)

Previous: [chưa](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/chua-not-yet/)
Next: [có lẽ](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/co-le/)

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