verb

have

HAV

verb

To own or possess something.

"They have a house near the coast."

"Do you have a spare pen?"

To experience, undergo, or be affected by something.

"She had a rough week at work."

"We had a great time at the festival."

Used with a past participle to form the perfect tense, showing an action is completed.

"I have finished the report."

"They had already left by the time we arrived."

To cause something to be done, often by someone else.

"We had the car repaired last week."

To eat or drink something.

"Let's have lunch before the meeting."

How to Use Have

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishOne of the most common English verbs: to own something, to experience something, or to help build other verb tenses like "have done" or "have gone."

Common mistake

Don't confuse "have to" (obligation, as in "I have to go") with simple possession — the meaning shifts depending on what follows.

Common pairings

have to have a look have a go have breakfast

Word Forms

had past tense, have plural, had plural, haves plural, haves plural, has singular, have singular, had singular, hast singular, hadst singular, hath singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

They _____ a house near the coast.

Etymology

From Old English habban, going back to a very old Germanic root meaning "to hold" or "seize" — related to the English word "heave."

Synonyms

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sleep with take

Related Words

take love know kill give catch capture rock

Rhymes for have

ave save wave cave nave pave rave fave Dave weave leave slave

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