không có

Not Have / There Is No

Level 1

không có + [Noun] = do not have / there is no
không có + [Verb/Adjective] = emphatic denial / informal negation (Southern)
Không có. = I don't have it / There isn't any

How It Works

1. Possession and Existence (Standard)
Place không có directly before a noun to mean "do not have" or "there is no". This is the standard usage across all situations, from formal writing to casual speech.
• Tôi không có tiền. (I don't have money.)
• Ở đây không có ai. (There is no one here.)

2. Emphatic Denial & Informal Negation (Verbs)
Using không có before a verb is a strong way to deny an assumption or accusation. In Northern Vietnamese, this is almost exclusively used for emphatic denial. However, in casual Southern speech, it is frequently used as a general, informal negation for actions and states (e.g., Tôi không có biết - I don't know). Note that using không có before verbs is strictly colloquial, whereas using it before nouns is acceptable in formal writing.
• Tôi không có nói! (I did not say that!)
• Hôm qua tôi không có đi làm. (I didn't go to work yesterday. - Southern casual)

3. Negating Adjectives & The Particle Đâu
Similarly, placing không có before adjectives is used to contradict an assumption. Like with verbs, Northern speakers reserve this for emphatic denial, while Southern speakers often use it for casual observation. Native speakers heavily pair không có with the final particle đâu to soften the tone or emphasize "not at all" when negating verbs and adjectives.
• Cái áo này không có đắt đâu. (This shirt is not expensive at all.)

4. Answering "Do you have...?" Questions
When someone asks if you have something or if something exists, không có is the natural short answer for "No, I don't" or "There isn't." (Note: For general có ... không? questions involving verbs or adjectives, the standard answer is simply không).
• Bạn có tiền không? - Không có. (Do you have money? - No, I don't.)

5. The Phrase "Không có gì"
This is a highly common set phrase meaning "You're welcome", "No problem", or "Nothing". In Central and Southern Vietnam, you will also hear the variant không có chi.

Pronunciation Note:
In casual speech, particularly in Southern and Central dialects, the word không is often pronounced (and informally written online) as hông, hong, or hổng. You will frequently hear hông có instead of không có.

Examples (6)

  1. Tôi không có tiền mặt.

    I don't have cash.

    Word by Word: I not have money face.

    Standard usage indicating a lack of possession.

  2. Hôm qua tôi không có đi làm.

    I didn't go to work yesterday.

    Word by Word: Day past I not have go do.

    In Southern Vietnamese, using 'không có' before a verb is a common casual way to negate a past action. In the North, this would sound like an emphatic denial.

  3. Tôi không có nói như vậy!

    I didn't say that! / I did not say that!

    Word by Word: I not have say like thus!

    Emphatic verbal denial. Used across regions to strongly defend oneself against an assumption or accusation.

  4. Món này không có cay.

    This dish is not spicy.

    Word by Word: Dish this not have spicy.

    Using 'không có' before an adjective. This is a casual observation in the South, but an emphatic denial in the North.

  5. Bạn có câu hỏi nào không? - Dạ, không có.

    Do you have any questions? - No, I don't.

    Word by Word: Friend have question which no? - Polite, not have.

    Used as a standalone short answer to indicate you do not have something or that something does not exist.

  6. Không có gì.

    You're welcome. / No problem.

    Word by Word: Not have what.

    A highly common set phrase used to respond to 'thank you' or 'sorry'. In the South and Central regions, 'không có chi' is also widely used.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'không có' to mean 'am not' or 'is not' (negating identity).

    Tôi không có là sinh viên.
    Tôi không phải là sinh viên.

    Because English uses 'I am not' and 'I do not have', learners sometimes mix them up. To say you 'are not' a noun (like a student or a doctor), you must use không phải là. Không có means 'do not have', not 'am not'.

  • Using 'không có' + verb in formal writing.

    Công ty không có thông báo cho nhân viên.
    Công ty không thông báo cho nhân viên.

    While không có + verb is perfectly natural for negating actions in everyday spoken Vietnamese (especially in the South), it is considered too casual for formal writing. In formal contexts, stick to không.

  • Using 'không có' (do not have) instead of 'chưa có' (do not have yet) when there is an expectation of having it in the future.

    Tôi không có gia đình. (When meaning 'I am not married yet')
    Tôi chưa có gia đình.

    If you do not have something yet but expect or plan to have it in the future, use chưa (not yet) or chưa có. Using không có sounds like an absolute negative—that you don't have it and never will.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

không cóLevel 1Not Have / There Is No

Learn This First

To understand 'không có', a learner must first understand the two components: the verb 'có' (to have/there is) and the negation particle 'không' (not). Combining them creates the negative form for both possession and existence.

Words in This Pattern