có
Verb:
- To be, to exist: Indicates the state of existence or presence of something or someone.
- To have, to own, to possess: Indicates possession, ownership, or the relationship between a subject and something that belongs to or is associated with it.
- To be present, to be included: Indicates that something is part of a whole or is contained within something else.
- To be characterized by, to have as an attribute: Indicates that a person or thing possesses a certain quality, characteristic, or is involved in an action.
Particle:
- Used for affirmation or emphasis: Used before a verb or adjective to affirm, emphasize, or confirm an action or state. Often used in questions and answers.
- Used in conditional or hypothetical statements: Used to introduce or emphasize a condition or supposition.
- Used in prohibitive or dissuasive constructions: Used with words like 'đừng' (don't) or 'chớ' (lest) to add emphasis to a warning or prohibition.
Verb (To be/exist):
- Có ai hỏi, bảo tôi đi vắng. (If there is anyone asking for me, tell him I am not at home.)
- Cơ hội nghìn năm có một. (There is such an opportunity once in a thousand years.)
- Loài chim đó không có ở Việt Nam. (That species of bird does not exist in Vietnam.)
Verb (To have/own):
- Người cày có ruộng. (The tiller owns his own land.)
- Công dân có quyền bầu cử. (Citizens have the right to vote.)
- Chị ấy có hai con. (She has two children.)
Verb (To be characterized by):
- Lá có màu xanh. (Leaves are green / Leaves have the color green.)
- Anh ta có lòng tốt. (He has a good heart / He is kind.)
- Sách có ba chương. (The book has three chapters.)
Particle (Affirmation/Emphasis):
- Tôi có gặp anh ta. (I did meet him. / I have met him.)
- Anh đến không? - Có, tôi đến. (Are you coming? - Yes, I am coming.)
- Từ đây đến đó có xa không? (Is it far from here to there?)
Particle (Conditional):
- Có đi mới đến. (One can only arrive if one goes. / You have to go to get there.)
- Anh có đi thì tôi chờ. (If you go, then I will wait.)
Particle (Prohibition):
- Anh đừng có đi! (Don't you go!)
- Mày đừng có nói dối. (Don't you lie!)
"Có... không?": This is the standard structure for forming a yes/no question in Vietnamese. The particle 'có' is placed before the main verb, and 'không' is at the end of the sentence.
- Anh có khỏe không? (Are you well?)
- Hôm nay có mưa không? (Is it raining today?)
"Có... đâu" / "Có... gì đâu": Used to strongly deny or refute something.
- Tôi có nói thế đâu. (I didn't say that at all.)
- Có gì đâu mà lo. (There's nothing to worry about.)
"Có mà...": Used to express doubt about a possibility or to emphasize that something is unlikely.
- Có mà trời giúp. (Heaven would have to help [for that to happen].)
- Làm xong có mà nửa đêm. (If we finish, it'll probably be midnight.)
Được có (phrase): To manage to have, to be fortunate enough to have. Emphasizes the value or difficulty of obtaining something.
- Được có ngày nghỉ. (To finally have a day off.)
Có được (phrase): To succeed in having or obtaining. Often interchangeable with 'được có' but can place slightly more emphasis on the act of acquisition.
- Phải cố gắng mới có được. (You have to try hard to get it.)
Có... là... (construction): Used to define or specify, often translated as "what... is..." or "the thing that... is...".
- Cái tôi cần có là thời gian. (What I need is time.)
- Verb (To have): Sở hữu (to own, more formal), nắm giữ (to hold).
- Verb (To exist): Tồn tại (to exist, more formal), hiện diện (to be present).
- Particle (Yes): Vâng, dạ (polite yes), ừ (casual yes).
Có đi có lại: To reciprocate, give and take. (Literal: To have going, to have coming back)
- Tình cảm là có đi có lại. (Affection is about give and take.)
Có tật giật mình: Literally "He who has a vice starts with fear." Similar to "He who excuses himself accuses himself" or having a guilty conscience.
- Anh ấy phản ứng thế, đúng là có tật giật mình. (He reacted like that, truly a sign of a guilty conscience.)
Có mới nới cũ: To neglect the old when one has something new. (Out with the old, in with the new).
- Có thực mới vực được đạo: One must have material sustenance to uphold righteousness. ("An army marches on its stomach.")
- Có tiếng mà không có miếng: To have a reputation but not the corresponding reality or benefit. ("More fame than fortune.")
- To be
- có ai hỏi, bảo tôi đi vắngif there is anyone asking for me, tell him I am not at home
- cơ hội nghìn năm có mộtthere is such an opportunity once in a thousand years; once in a lifetime
- chúng tôi chỉ có ba người tất cảthere are only three of us in all
- lá có màu xanhleaves are green
- có tuổito be advanced in years
- To have, to own
- người cày có ruộngthe tillet owns his own land
- công dân có quyền bầu cử ứng cử