have
have — verb
- have,,strong form,,strong formpresent simple I / you / we / they
- havepresent simple I / you / we / they
- has,,strong form,,strong formhe / she / it
- hashe / she / it
- had,,strong form,,strong formpast simple
- hadpast simple
- having-ing form
1. to own something such as a house, a car, or a piece of equipment that belongs to
to own something such as a house, a car, or a piece of equipment that belongs to you, typically because you bought it, rented it, or were given it
The Wang family has a small apartment near the train station.
have + noun phrase for ownership
Do you have a bicycle I could borrow for the weekend?
Our school has a large library with over ten thousand books.
Renata has a beautiful garden behind her house full of flowers.
Nadia bought her first car last year — a used Toyota that she still has today.
have + noun phrase for ownership acquired through purchase
- have a car
- have a house
- have a job
- have time
- have money
- have an idea
- lack
to not have something that is needed or expected
Grammar Patterns
have + noun phrase
Usage Note
Not used in continuous (progressive) forms in this sense. You cannot say 'I am having a car' to mean you own it.
Common Mistakes
2. to be suffering from an illness, disease, or injury that causes you pain or disc
to be suffering from an illness, disease, or injury that causes you pain or discomfort
Eitan has a bad cold and is staying home from school today.
have + illness/injury for suffering from sickness
Maja had a terrible headache after staring at the screen all day.
The doctor said Imani has a broken wrist and needs to wear a cast.
Hamza has had a cough for almost two weeks now and cannot shake it.
Many children in the class had the flu last winter and missed school.
- have a cold
- have a fever
- have a headache
- have the flu
- have a cough
- have a broken leg
- suffer from
more formal; used for serious or long-term illnesses
Grammar Patterns
have + illness/injury
Usage Note
Not used in continuous forms in this sense. 'She has a fever' ✅ — NOT 'She is having a fever' ❌.
Common Mistakes
3. to take food or liquid into your body through your mouth, especially during a me
to take food or liquid into your body through your mouth, especially during a meal or at a social event
We usually have breakfast at seven thirty in the morning.
have + meal noun for eating or drinking
Would you like to have a cup of tea or some coffee with me?
Rohan had a sandwich and an apple for lunch at the park.
I always have a glass of water when I wake up in the morning.
The guests had cake and juice at the birthday party last Saturday.
- have breakfast
- have lunch
- have dinner
- have a drink
- have a meal
- have tea
- have a snack
Grammar Patterns
have + food/drink noun
Usage Note
Commonly paired with meal names (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and drinks (tea, coffee, water). Unlike the stative senses, this sense can be used in continuous forms: 'She is having dinner right now.' ✅
4. to do something — for example, carrying out an activity, running a meeting, or s
to do something — for example, carrying out an activity, running a meeting, or staging a social gathering
We are having a meeting at three o'clock this afternoon.
have + noun phrase for performing an activity
Lakan had an interesting conversation with his neighbour about gardening.
The children usually have a music lesson after school on Tuesdays.
Let us have a look at the menu before we decide what to order.
Elise and Christopher had a long discussion about the history project.
- have a meeting
- have a conversation
- have a discussion
- have a look
- have a lesson
- have a party
- have a bath
Grammar Patterns
have + noun phrase (activity)
Usage Note
Unlike the possession sense, this sense CAN be used in continuous forms: 'We are having a party tomorrow.' ✅
5. to go through a particular event, situation, or feeling, either pleasant or unpl
to go through a particular event, situation, or feeling, either pleasant or unpleasant
Nora had a wonderful time at the art museum on Saturday.
collocation: have a good/wonderful/great time
The children had a lot of fun at the water park.
Padma had a strange dream about flying over the mountains.
Christopher had a difficult year after losing his job.
The whole town had a power cut that lasted for two days.
- have a good time
- have fun
- have a dream
- have an accident
- have a party
- have difficulty
- experience
more formal than 'have'; 'experience difficulty' vs. 'have difficulty'
- go through
often used for difficult or challenging experiences
- undergo
formal; used for medical procedures or major life changes
Grammar Patterns
have + noun phrase (event, feeling, or experience)
Usage Note
Used with a wide range of objects — events ('have a party', 'have a meeting'), feelings ('have fun', 'have a feeling'), time periods ('have a good year'), and experiences ('have an accident', 'have a dream'). The meaning is determined by the object noun, not by a special verb construction.
Common Mistakes
6. to be made up of something or include it as one of the parts inside it — for exa
to be made up of something or include it as one of the parts inside it — for example, a salad having different vegetables mixed together, or a book having several chapters
The old suitcase had a secret compartment hidden under the lining.
have + a [noun] for hidden physical parts
Meera checked that the report had all the necessary signatures before she sent it.
have + necessary [noun] for completeness check
The salad Meera made had spinach, tomatoes, and cucumber mixed together.
have + ingredients mixed inside something
The meal Trang ordered had mushrooms in the sauce, so she chose a different dish.
have + [noun] in the [noun] for ingredients
Darius noticed that the map had several streets that were not marked correctly.
- have a compartment
- have a section
- have room for
- have space
- have a part
- lack
opposite meaning — to not have something as a part
Grammar Patterns
have + noun phrase (the thing that is contained)
7. to share a connection with someone, such as being related by family, knowing eac
to share a connection with someone, such as being related by family, knowing each other socially, or working together professionally.
Feng has two older sisters who both teach mathematics at a high school in Taipei.
have + [number] + [family member] for kinship
Otis has a long-standing business relationship with a printing company in Singapore.
Elise has three cousins living in Montreal whom she visits during the summer holidays.
have + [number] + [family member] + -ing participle
Joshua has the same family doctor as his neighbour, Dr. Okafor.
Talia has a very close bond with the grandmother who raised her.
- have a relationship
- have a connection
- have a bond
- have contact with
- have a friendship
- know
informal; used for people you are acquainted with
- be related to
specifically about family connections
- be connected with
neutral; works for social and professional ties
Grammar Patterns
have + noun phrase (the person or group the subject is connected to)
8. to bring a baby or young animal out of your body and into the world
to bring a baby or young animal out of your body and into the world
Renata had a healthy baby boy at the city hospital at three in the morning.
have + baby for the act of giving birth
Élise had twins after a long but safe labour.
The cat had three kittens in the old barn behind the house.
Ayana is planning to have her baby at home with a midwife.
- have a baby
- have a child
- have twins
- have kittens
- have a son
- have a daughter
- give birth to
more formal and explicitly describes the birth event
- deliver
medical term; often used from the doctor's perspective ('the doctor delivered the baby')
Grammar Patterns
have + baby/child/twins
Usage Note
Refers specifically to the moment of birth, not to the state of being pregnant (see sense 11, PREGNANT). Can also be used for animals giving birth. The object is typically 'a baby', 'a child', 'twins', or the species name for animals.
Common Mistakes
9. to get hold of something that somebody offers or sends you, or to let a situatio
to get hold of something that somebody offers or sends you, or to let a situation or type of behaviour happen without trying to stop it
Reuben had a letter from his cousin in Brazil this morning.
have + noun = receive something
Eshe had a very strange dream last night that woke her up.
I will not have that kind of rude language in my classroom.
have + noun phrase = allow/accept
The hospital had a large donation of medical supplies from the local community.
We cannot have the dog running around the garden while the baby is playing outside.
- have a letter
- have news
- have a visitor
- have a dream
- have a donation
- won't have
- can't have
- give
opposite direction of transfer; giving vs receiving
Grammar Patterns
have + noun phrase
have + object + verb-ing
Usage Note
In the 'allow' meaning, this sense often follows the pattern 'will not / cannot have + object + verb-ing': 'I won't have you speaking to me like that.'
Common Mistakes
10. to make an action take place or to make someone carry out a task, especially by
to make an action take place or to make someone carry out a task, especially by instructing another person or by making the necessary arrangements
Lakan had his laptop repaired at a small shop near the university.
have + object + past participle for arranging a service
The principal had the students wait in the hall until the bell rang.
have + object + bare infinitive for making someone do something
Yael needs to have her passport renewed before the trip to Japan.
Justin had the waiter bring extra napkins to the table.
- have something done
- have someone do something
- have someone doing something
- have + object + past participle
- cause
more formal and general; does not imply arranging through another person
- make
stronger, direct causation; used with object + bare infinitive ('make someone do') but without the 'arrange a service' meaning
- get
informal; 'get something done' overlaps with 'have something done' but sounds less formal in British English
Grammar Patterns
have + object + past participle (arrange for something to be done)
have + object + bare infinitive (make someone do something)
have + object + -ing (cause someone to be doing something)
Usage Note
Three main patterns exist: (1) have + object + past participle for arranging a service ('have the car fixed'); (2) have + object + bare infinitive for commanding someone ('have them wait'); (3) have + object + -ing for causing an ongoing action ('have the audience laughing'). Pattern (1) can also describe an unwanted event you did not arrange — for example, 'I had my wallet stolen.'
Common Mistakes
11. to experience something unpleasant that happens to you, especially when another
to experience something unpleasant that happens to you, especially when another person or outside force is responsible
Mauricio had his phone stolen on the bus during rush hour.
have + object + past participle for an unwanted event
Rin had her essay rejected by the journal editors.
Tariq had his car scratched by someone in the parking lot.
The Watanabe family had their roof damaged in the typhoon.
- have something stolen
- have something damaged
- have something rejected
- suffer
similar meaning but used without the past-participle construction; 'suffer a loss' vs. 'have something stolen'
- experience
neutral; does not carry the same strong sense of victimhood
- endure
more formal and implies the event lasted a long time or was hard to bear
Grammar Patterns
have + object + past participle (unwanted event)
Usage Note
Always uses the pattern have + object + past participle. The subject is the person affected, not the person who did the action. Distinguish from sense 7 (MAKE HAPPEN): in this sense the event is always unwanted and unarranged.
Common Mistakes
12. to be in the state of carrying a developing baby inside your body, before the bi
to be in the state of carrying a developing baby inside your body, before the birth
Lakshmi is having a baby in June, so she has started buying baby clothes.
be having a baby + time expression for pregnancy state
Walid's cousin is having a child — it will be her first.
When Mayumi found out she was having a baby, she immediately gave up coffee.
The actress is having a baby and plans to take six months off from work.
- be having a baby
- be having a child
- having a baby in + month
- be pregnant with
more direct and unambiguous; 'be having a baby' can also mean giving birth depending on context
- be expecting
common polite alternative, especially in British English
Grammar Patterns
be having a baby/child
be having a baby in + month
Usage Note
Commonly used in the continuous form ('is having a baby') to describe the pregnancy period. Distinguish from sense 10 (GIVE BIRTH): this sense refers to the months before birth, not the birth itself. In British English, 'she is expecting' is an alternative way to express the same meaning.
13. to possess or display a particular quality, characteristic, or ability — for exa
to possess or display a particular quality, characteristic, or ability — for example, a person having a kind heart, or a building having a modern design.
The Tanaka family home has a lovely garden with cherry trees at the back.
have + [adjective] + [noun] for describing features
Hassan has a very calm voice, which helps when he teaches young children.
This computer has enough memory to run the video editing application smoothly.
have + enough [noun] to-verb for sufficient capacity
Elena has a natural talent for understanding other people's feelings.
The old library building had tall windows that let in a lot of natural light.
- have a quality
- have a feature
- have a talent
- have a reputation
- have an ability
- lack
to be without a particular quality
Grammar Patterns
have + noun phrase (the quality or feature)
14. to possess one good quality or positive aspect, especially when other things abo
to possess one good quality or positive aspect, especially when other things about a person or thing are not so good
Reuben may be clumsy, but he has a very kind heart.
have + positive quality noun for redeeming feature
The restaurant is expensive, but at least it has an amazing view of the harbour.
Yuna is not the fastest runner, but she has great endurance and never gives up.
The film was boring, though it had one or two funny scenes near the end.
- have a kind heart
- have a good point
- have a bright side
- have a redeeming feature
- possess
more formal; works for qualities as well
Grammar Patterns
have + noun phrase (quality/characteristic)
15. to engage in the physical act of sex with another person
to engage in the physical act of sex with another person
The couple first had sex a few months after they started dating.
have sex — fixed collocation
A recent survey asked teenagers whether they had ever had sex.
Liam and Yasmin had sex for the first time on their wedding night.
The two friends had never had sex before they met their partners.
- have sex
- have sex with someone
- had sex
- never had sex
- have sexual intercourse with
more formal and clinical
- sleep with
informal; also implies sharing a bed
Grammar Patterns
have sex (with someone)
Usage Note
The noun 'sex' is the only common object in this fixed collocation. Unlike other senses of 'have', this sense is not used in continuous forms ('was having sex' is about the ongoing action/event, but 'is having sex' is rare in the sense of 'engages in sexual activity habitually'). The topic is sensitive; in formal writing 'have sexual intercourse' may be preferred.
have against
phrasal verbTo dislike someone for a particular reason.
What do you have against him? He seems friendly.
She has nothing against the plan; she just wants changes.
have back
phrasal verbTo receive something that was taken or borrowed.
Can I have my book back when you finish reading it?
She finally had her car back after the repairs.
have in
phrasal verbTo invite someone to your home or to have something available.
We are having the neighbors in for dinner tonight.
Do you have enough food in for the weekend?
have on
phrasal verbTo be wearing something or to have something planned.
She had a beautiful dress on at the party.
What do you have on for tomorrow afternoon?
have out
phrasal verbTo remove something, especially a tooth or organ, by surgery.
I need to have my wisdom tooth out next week.
The vet had to have the cat's tumor out.
have up
phrasal verbTo bring someone to court or to accuse someone of a crime.
The police had him up for theft.
She was had up for speeding last month.
To dislike someone because of something they did to you in the past.
Mia doesn't have anything against Tom; they just never talk.
Do you have something against Diego? He seems nice.
To finish something unpleasant so that it stops.
Let's have done with this boring meeting and go home.
Sara wanted to have done with the cleaning before noon.
have had it
idiomTo be in very bad condition or unable to be repaired.
My old laptop has had it; I need a new one.
After the flood, the carpet had had it and was thrown away.
have it (that…)
idiomTo claim that something is true.
Rumor has it that the company will close next month.
The report has it that the accident was caused by human error.
To deserve the bad result of your own actions.
When he lost his job, everyone said he had it coming.
She cheated on the test and got caught; she had that coming.
To dislike someone and treat them badly on purpose.
The boss has had it in for Brian since the mistake.
Why does the teacher have it in for Maya? She works hard.
To be capable of doing something.
I didn't know you had it in you to run a marathon.
Does Aiden have it in him to win the competition?
To have sex with someone.
They were caught having it off in the storage room.
Did you hear that Sara had it away with Diego?
To be not nearly as good as someone or something.
This new restaurant has nothing on the old one.
When it comes to speed, my car has nothing on yours.
not having any
idiomNot willing to listen to or believe something.
I tried to convince her, but she wasn't having any.
He offered a deal, but the client wasn't having any.
what have you
idiomOther things or people of the same kind.
The store sells books, magazines, and what have you.
We need to buy snacks, drinks, and what have you for the party.
have — noun
1. a person or group that owns a lot of money and valuable things — the word is nea
a person or group that owns a lot of money and valuable things — the word is nearly always used in the plural form 'the haves' to mean wealthy members of society, especially when compared with 'the have-nots' who are poor.
The gap between the haves and the have-nots keeps growing in many countries.
the haves and the have-nots — fixed contrasting phrase
Mauricio grew up among the haves, attending private schools and summer camps abroad.
Nora argued that tax policies should do more to help the have-nots catch up with the haves.
the haves as contrasted group in social debate
In this small town, visitors can see the divide between the haves and those who struggle to pay rent.
Élise left her job at a bank to start a charity that helps the have-nots learn new skills.
active verb: help the have-nots + infinitive
- the haves
- the haves and the have-nots
- between the haves
- among the haves
- the haves of society
- the wealthy
more formal and general; does not carry the same contrastive pairing with 'the have-nots'
- the rich
more direct and common in everyday speech; broader than 'the haves', which specifically implies a rich-vs-poor contrast
- the have-nots
the direct opposite in the fixed expression
- the poor
general opposite; less marked as a set phrase
Usage Note
This noun is almost always found in the plural 'haves' as part of the fixed pair 'the haves and the have-nots.' It rarely appears in the singular.
Common Mistakes
have — auxiliary verb
1. placed before a past participle to build verb forms that connect an earlier acti
placed before a past participle to build verb forms that connect an earlier action or situation to a later time — for example, to say that something happened before now or that a past event came before another past event.
Sofie has finished all her homework before dinner this evening.
present perfect: has + past participle (finished)
The guests have already eaten all the sandwiches.
present perfect with 'already' for completed action
Karim had just locked the door when the phone rang.
past perfect: had + past participle, one past action before another
Have your parents ever visited Japan during the cherry blossom season?
Nellie has lived in this small town since she moved here in 2010.
present perfect with 'since' for continuing situation
Grammar Patterns
have/has + past participle (present perfect)
had + past participle (past perfect)
Usage Note
Commonly contracts in speech and informal writing: 'have → 've (I've, you've, we've, they've), 'has → 's (he's, she's, it's), 'had → 'd (I'd, you'd, etc.). Negative forms: haven't, hasn't, hadn't.
Common Mistakes
have — modal verb
1. used when a person is required or forced to do something because of a rule, a du
used when a person is required or forced to do something because of a rule, a duty, or the situation they are in — for example, wearing a uniform at a school that requires it, or waiting for a doctor because you have no choice.
Wei has to wear a helmet every time he rides his bike to school.
third person: has to + bare infinitive
You don't have to pay at the door if you already bought a ticket online.
negative: don't have to (no obligation)
Noor had to show her passport before the airline let her board the plane.
past tense: had to + bare infinitive
The librarian told everyone they have to return their books by Friday.
Do I have to finish all the vegetables before I can have dessert?
question: Do + subject + have to + infinitive
- have to + verb
- don't have to + verb
- had to + verb
- have got to + verb (informal British)
- must
stronger and more formal; 'must' has no past form, so 'had to' replaces it in past contexts
- need to
less forceful than 'have to' and sounds more like personal necessity than external obligation
- be required to
more formal; often used in official rules or written instructions
- be allowed to
expresses permission rather than absence of obligation
Grammar Patterns
have to + bare infinitive (obligation)
don't have to + bare infinitive (no obligation)
had to + bare infinitive (past obligation)
Usage Note
This sense functions like a modal verb but behaves grammatically like a main verb — it takes do-support for questions and negatives, changes to 'has' in the third person singular, and uses 'had' for the past. 'Don't have to' means no obligation (optional), NOT prohibition.
Common Mistakes
2. used when you feel very sure that something is true, because the evidence or the
used when you feel very sure that something is true, because the evidence or the facts clearly point in that direction — for example, deciding that someone who has been exercising must be thirsty, or that a door that is locked has to be locked from the inside.
Christopher has been practising for weeks, so he has to be ready for the competition.
have to + be + adjective (present deduction from evidence)
If the lights are on in the house, someone has to be at home right now.
if-condition + have to + be for logical deduction
You have to be Noa's cousin — the family resemblance is so strong.
The ground is completely wet, so it has to have rained while we were asleep.
have to have + past participle for past deduction
Folake has lived in Taipei for eight years, so she has to know the city well.
- have to be + noun
- have to be + adjective
- have to have + past participle
- must be
interchangeable in positive deduction; 'must' is slightly more common in writing
- be bound to be
more informal; emphasises that the outcome is expected or inevitable
- can't be
the negative counterpart — expresses certainty that something is NOT true
Grammar Patterns
have to + be + noun/adjective (present deduction)
have to have + past participle (past deduction)
Usage Note
Only used in positive statements. For negative deduction (certain that something is NOT true), use 'can't' or 'couldn't' — for example, 'He can't be at work, it is midnight.' Do NOT write 'He doesn't have to be at work' (that means no obligation, not deduction).
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
'Have' is the broadest, most neutral word for owning, holding, or experiencing something — it covers everything from physical objects (have a car) to relationships (have a sister) to sensations (have a headache). 'Own' specifically means legal possession of something valuable (own a house, own a company) and sounds more formal. 'Possess' is even more formal and legal; it is rarely used in everyday speech except in fixed phrases like 'possess a talent.' 'Hold' suggests carrying or keeping something in your hands or within your control (hold a ticket, hold a passport), but is less common for abstract ownership. 'Contain' refers only to physical enclosure or composition (a box contains chocolates, a report contains data). 'Experience' overlaps with have in sense 9 (have a good time, have difficulty) but is more formal and always focuses on the subjective feeling rather than possession. Use 'have' for everyday conversation; switch to 'own/possess' for legal contexts, 'contain' for parts of a whole, and 'experience' for events or feelings you go through.
Common collocations
Nouns
- have a look
- have a go
- have a say
- have a feeling
- have a right
- have a chance
- have no idea
- have a word
- have a break
- have a bath/shower
Phrases
- have to
- have got
- have got to
- have had enough
- have something done
- have nothing to do with
- have a lot on one's plate
- have the nerve to
- have an effect on
- have in common
Etymology
'Have' traces back to Old English 'habban', meaning 'to own, possess, or hold.' This word came from Proto-Germanic '*habejaną' (same meaning), which in turn descended from a Proto-Indo-European root '*keh₂p-' meaning 'to grasp or seize.' The connection to physical grasping explains why 'have' developed such a wide range of meanings over time — from owning objects (I have a bike) to experiencing events (I have a headache) to forming perfect tenses (I have seen it). The obligation sense 'have to' emerged in the 1500s, evolving from the idea that something is so important that you 'have' (hold) it as a duty. Modern English kept the older Germanic paradigm (have/has/had) alongside the newer do-support patterns (don't have, doesn't have), making 'have' one of the few verbs in English with two distinct grammatical behaviours.