Negation: không before the verb
To negate, put không before the verb or adjective. No auxiliary, no 'do not' — just không.
| Vietnamese | Literal | English |
|---|---|---|
| Tôi không hiểu | I not understand | I don't understand |
| Không cay | not spicy | not spicy |
| Tôi không có tiền | I not have money | I don't have money |
| Không phải | not right | that's not it / no |
| Không được | not OK | not allowed / can't |
Not yet: chưa
chưa negates completion — 'haven't yet'. It also answers its own questions: a chưa question is answered chưa (not yet) or rồi (already).
| Vietnamese | Literal | English |
|---|---|---|
| Tôi chưa ăn | I not-yet eat | I haven't eaten yet |
| Bạn ăn chưa? | you eat not-yet? | Have you eaten yet? |
| Chưa | — | Not yet |
| Ăn rồi | eat already | I've already eaten |
Yes/no questions: có…không and được không
The classic yes/no pattern wraps the verb: có + phrase + không. The most natural answer echoes the verb — Được / Không được, Có / Không. vâng and dạ also work as a polite 'yes'.
| Vietnamese | Literal | English |
|---|---|---|
| Bạn có nói được tiếng Anh không? | you have speak can English not? | Do you speak English? |
| Có wifi không? | have wifi not? | Is there wifi? |
| Được không? | OK not? | Is it OK? / Can I? |
| Chụp ảnh được không? | take photo OK not? | May I take photos? |
| Phải không? | right not? | right? / isn't it? (tag question) |
| Có đúng không? | have correct not? | Is that right? |
The question words
| Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
| ai | who |
| gì | what |
| cái gì | what (thing) |
| ở đâu | where |
| khi nào | when |
| bao nhiêu | how many / how much |
| tại sao | why |
| vì sao | why (variant) |
| như thế nào | how / in what way |
| sao | how / why (short colloquial) |
| mấy | how many (small counts) |
| bao lâu | how long (time) |
| bao xa | how far |
Real questions to use today
Đây là cái gì?
What is this?
Bao nhiêu tiền?
How much is it?
Ở đâu?
Where is it?
Khi nào?
When?
Bạn tên là gì?
What's your name?
Cái này là của bạn à?
Is this yours?
à turns a statement into a check — 'Oh, this is yours?'
Còn bao lâu nữa thì đến nơi?
How long until we arrive?
Summary
không negates, chưa means 'not yet', có…không and được không build yes/no questions, and wh-words stay where the answer goes. Next: classifiers and nouns — the little counting words.
Mini practice
Q1. Vietnamese negation is formed by…
- changing the verb ending
- putting không before the verb/adjective
- adding không at the very end only
Answer: putting không before the verb/adjective
Q2. 'chưa' means…
- never
- not yet
- no longer
Answer: not yet
Q3. 'Có wifi không?' means…
- Where is the wifi?
- Is there wifi?
- The wifi is slow
Answer: Is there wifi?
Q4. 'được không' is used for…
- yes/no questions about permission/requests
- past tense
- counting
Answer: yes/no questions about permission/requests
Q5. 'ở đâu' means…
- when
- where
- how much
Answer: where
