Forming Questions with 'có ... không' — Southern Vietnamese Grammar

To turn a statement into a Yes/No question, Vietnamese uses the construction . This structure frames the main predicate (verb or adjective) of the sentence.

The basic word order is: Subject + + Verb/Adjective + ?

In this context, acts as an auxiliary word to mark the question, and is placed at the very end of the sentence.

Questions with Verbs

When asking if someone performs an action, place before the verb and at the end.

Bạn có thích Việt Nam không?
Do you like Vietnam?
Anh ấy có đi làm hôm nay không?
Is he going to work today?
Chị có hiểu không?
Do you understand?

Questions with Adjectives

This structure is also used to ask about descriptions or states of being. Here, is placed before the adjective.

Món này có ngon không?
Is this dish tasty?
Bạn có mệt không?
Are you tired?
Khách sạn có xa không?
Is the hotel far?

Questions with "To Have"

The word also functions as the main verb meaning to have. When asking questions about possession ("Do you have...?"), you do not double the word. You simply use once as the main verb, followed by the object, and end with .

Incorrect: Bạn có có tiền không?

Correct: Bạn có tiền không?

Anh có xe máy không?
Do you have a motorbike?
Em có tiền lẻ không?
Do you have small change?

Answering the Question

To answer these questions, you generally repeat the verb or use / . In the Southern dialect, adding at the beginning is essential for politeness when speaking to someone older or of higher status.

To say Yes

Use (for possession or general agreement) or repeat the main adjective/verb.

Dạ có.
Yes. (Polite)
Có, ngon lắm.
Yes, very tasty.

To say No

Use (often pronounced "hông" in casual Southern speech, though written as "không").

Dạ không.
No. (Polite)
Không, tôi không đi.
No, I am not going.

Dropping 'có' in Spoken Language

In casual, daily conversation, native speakers frequently omit the first before verbs and adjectives. However, the at the end must remain to indicate it is a question.

Vui không?
Is it fun? (Short for: Có vui không?)
Bạn đi chơi không?
Are you going out? (Short for: Bạn có đi chơi không?)

Note that if the main verb is to have, you cannot drop , or the sentence would lose its meaning.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Southern Vietnamese course

56 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 1. A few of them, with the words “Forming Questions with 'có ... không'” is about in bold:

Bạn có thể gửi tin nhắn một lần nữa không?
Can you send the message again?
Lesson 426

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