have

haveverb

American /hæv/ British /hæv/ As a main verb and as a helper, have is often weak and can sound like huhv or uhv; the short forms are I've, you've, he's, they'd. In have to meaning must, have is usually said like haf and has like hass, with an s sound: I haf to go, she hass to stay.

third-person singular has past tense had past participle had present participle having

very commondefining vocabulary

Have is used to say what someone owns, does, or experiences, to make someone do something, and, as a helper, to form the perfect tenses.

ownown something or keep it as your own
This sense also covers family, parts of the body, and qualities: have two sisters, have blue eyes, have a good memory. In this meaning have is a state, so it is not used in the continuous tenses: not I am having a car. In informal and British English have got is very common.
transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] not used in continuous tenses [no continuous]
- They have a big house near the sea. V + obj
- Ana has two brothers and a sister. V + obj
- Do you have a pen I could borrow? V + obj
- I've got a car, so I can drive us. (have got, informal)
Collocations
verb + noun have money, have time, have a car, have a family
Synonyms own; possess (possess is more formal); get
Compare get (get means to obtain or acquire something, not to already own it; have got is a common informal form of have for possession); make; take
For translators (sense 1)
Grammar trap In the meaning of owning, have is not used in the -ing form: I have a car, never I am having a car. The informal have got means the same but changes its questions and negatives: have you got, I haven't got.
do or experiencetake part in an activity or experience something, especially one named by the noun that follows
Have pairs with a noun that names the activity: have a shower, have lunch, have a rest, have a look, have a good time. Here have can be used in the continuous: I'm having lunch, they were having a party. It also covers illnesses and problems: have a cold, have trouble.
transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj]
- I usually have breakfast at seven. V + obj
- Sam is having a shower right now. (continuous form)
- We had a wonderful time at the beach. V + obj
- She has a bad cold this week. V + obj
Collocations
verb + noun have breakfast, have a shower, have a look, have a rest, have a good time, have a baby
1. areceive something, or be visited by someone
  - I had an email from Kim this morning.
  - Did I have any calls while I was out?
  - We had visitors all weekend.
causecause something to be done, or cause or ask someone to do something
This use means to cause something to happen rather than do it yourself. With a past participle it means arrange for a job to be done: have the car repaired. With a bare infinitive or an -ing form it means make or get someone to do something: have the plumber fix it, have them laughing.
transitive [T] verb + object + past participle [V + obj + past participle] verb + object + bare infinitive [V + obj + inf] verb + object + -ing form [V + obj + -ing]
- We had the car repaired last week. V + obj + past participle
- Kim had the plumber fix the sink. V + obj + inf
- The comedian soon had everyone laughing. V + obj + -ing
For translators (sense 3)
Grammar trap Have something done means arrange for someone else to do it, not do it yourself: I had my hair cut means a hairdresser cut it. This structure is a common trap for learners.
mustused with to and another verb to show that something is necessary
Have to is a common way to talk about rules and needs, close in meaning to must. Unlike must, it has all tenses (had to, will have to) and forms its questions and negatives with do: do you have to go, I don't have to. Do not have to means it is not necessary, which is very different from must not, meaning it is forbidden.
verb + to-infinitive [V + to-inf]
- I have to finish this report today. V + to-inf
- Do you have to leave so soon? (question with do)
- You don't have to come if you're busy. (not necessary)
- We had to wait an hour for the bus. V + to-inf (past)
Compare must (must is close in meaning but has no past or future form)
perfect tensesused with the past participle of another verb to form the perfect tenses
This is the auxiliary have: have finished, has gone, had left. It shows that an action is complete at the time being talked about, or that it continues up to that time: I have finished (by now), I had finished (by then), I will have finished (by a future time). The short forms are I've, she's, they'd, and the negatives are haven't, hasn't, hadn't.
- I have finished my homework.
- She has never been to the mountains.
- They had already left when we arrived.

Phrases

have had it informal

have no patience left for something, or be too old or broken to be of use

Used of a person who cannot bear any more, or of a thing that no longer works.

I've had it with all this noise! (no patience left)
This old washing machine has had it. (worn out)

have it in for someone informal

seem to want to harm or blame someone because you do not like them

Ever since the argument, the manager has had it in for Lee.
I feel like the whole team has it in for me.

have to do with someone or something

be about something, or be connected with someone or something

My question has to do with the new rules.
What does that have to do with me?
Her job has something to do with computers.

Choosing between have · own · possess

Have is the everyday word for keeping or holding something and for many other meanings. Own stresses that something belongs to you by right: they own their house. Possess is formal and is used for things and for qualities: she possesses great skill.

Usage

There are two ways to make questions and negatives with have meaning own. American English uses do: Do you have a car? I don't have one. British English, and informal American speech, also use have got: Have you got a car? I haven't got one. The perfect auxiliary have always makes questions and negatives without do: Have you seen it? I haven't seen it.

Common mistakes

I have 20 years. I am 20 years old.
English uses be, not have, to give a person's age.

I am having a new bicycle. I have a new bicycle.
In the meaning of owning, have is not used in the -ing form.

I haven't to work tomorrow. I don't have to work tomorrow.
The obligation have to makes its negative and questions with do.

See also get (for the have got structure)

For translators

Meaning across languages Have covers owning, doing an activity (have lunch), making someone act, obligation (have to), and the perfect tenses. Few languages spread one verb so widely, so each use is best learned on its own.

Grammar trap The owning sense is a state and takes no -ing form. The activity sense (have a shower) does take -ing. Age uses be, not have. Have to and the perfect auxiliary behave very differently in questions and negatives.