Verb HAVE

HAVE is one of the most important English verbs. It is used as a main verb and as an auxiliary verb. This lesson will focus on HAVE when used as the main verb in a sentence or question.

Read lesson  * en español  * en français

Like all verbs, except BE and modal verbs, HAVE has two conjugations in the simple present.

	singular			plural
1st person	I	have		we	have
2nd person	you	have		you	have
3rd person	he, she, it	has		they	have

Note that in the third person singular conjugation, –ve is replaced by –s.

HAVE followed by a noun means to possess or own.

Tom has a new car.

The girls have a good idea.

I have a fear of flying.

When HAVE is followed by an infinitive, it indicates that something is required.

I have to study.

We have to leave.

He has to take a shower.

Like all verbs, except BE, HAVE has only one simple past conjugation for all persons: had.

	singular			plural
1st person	I	had		we	had
2nd person	you	had		you	had
3rd person	he, she, it	had		they	had

Here are example sentences.

I had a horrible dream last night.

Susan had twins.

The story had no intrigue.

HAVE can be used to make a request or give a command.

Please sir, have a seat.

Alex, have* patience.

Hey guys, have a look at this.

*Normally when the subject is the third person singular, it would take the conjugation has. But, because this is an imperative, the verb HAVE remains in the base form.

HAVE is used to wish another person good fortune. Again, this is the imperative.

Have a happy New Year.

Have a good trip.

Have a nice day.

The verb HAVE is sometimes used to form questions, but this is very rare. American English speakers prefer to use the auxiliary verb DO to form questions. For example:

less commom		more common
Have you a pen?		Do you have a pen?
Has he a car?		Does he have a car?
Have they time?		Do they have time?

Similarly, HAVE can be used to form negative statements, but this is also very rare. American English speakers prefer to use the auxiliary verb DO to form negative statements. Here are examples.

less commom		more common
I haven’t any money.		I don’t have any money.
He hasn’t a clue.		He doesn’t have a clue.
They haven’t time.		They don’t have time.

As an auxiliary verb, HAVE is used with past participles to create perfect verb forms.

present perfect		We have already eaten.
		Have they tried to help you?
		She has gone there three times.
past perfect		Tom had gone home by the time I returned.
		We had already eaten.
		They had never seen an elephant.

Related lessons:

Read lesson  * en español  * en français

• Contractions with the verb HAVE
• Introduction to verbs
• Auxiliary verbs
• perfect aspect