To have is one of the most commonly used verbs in the English language, and, unfortunately, is used incorrectly in many cases.

This verb appears at all levels, but in textbooks the information is given scatteredly, and the features of the verb to have are almost never discussed in detail and systematized.
Therefore, ideas about the verb to have ambiguous: many believe that this is a very unusual verb, it has some special forms, questions and negations, whether it is semantic or auxiliary, it has different meanings, then it is translated, then it is not...

Indeed, the verb to have has a lot of meanings (which we will look at shortly in this article), so it can be translated in different ways. It is true that it can be both semantic and auxiliary (more on this later).

But its forms are very simple: there are only three of them. In the present tense, have has two forms: have for (I, you, we, they) and has for (he, she, it).

I don't have a yacht. - I don't have a yacht.
He does not have a girlfriend. - He doesn't have a girlfriend.
You didn't have much money. - You didn't have a lot of money.

And now attention: typical mistake. In short answers to general questions we do not use have, but an auxiliary verb of the tense in which the question is asked:

Do you have a yacht? - Yes, I do./No, I don’t. (So wrong: Yes, I have./No, I haven’t.)
Does he have a girlfriend? - Yes, he does./No, he doesn’t. (So wrong: Yes, he has./No, I hasn’t.)
Did you have much money? - Yes, we did./No, we didn’t. (So wrong: Yes, I had./No, I hadn’t.)

2. Relationship.

When we talk about people: about our family or loved ones, it’s more of an attitude than a possession, don’t you agree? Although the translation will be the same as in the first meaning: “someone (has) someone”:

I have two sisters. - I have two sisters.
We have a lot of friends. - We (have) many friends.
They have a big family. - They (have) a big family.

Again I emphasize that, speaking in the first two meanings, the verb have is State Verb. This means that he can not used in group tenses Continuous. We cannot observe action as such. It would be wrong to say: I am having a car or she is having a brother. Remember that in the meaning “I have” - only I have .

Second important point . The verb have in meanings own, possess, have V colloquial speech often replaced by the form have got. About the differences have And have got we will talk in a separate article, which will appear on the blog very soon due to numerous requests from our subscribers. I recommend checking it out, stay tuned for updates!

3. Actions.

Do you know why there are so many fixed expressions with the verb have?
The fact is that in addition to its basic meanings described above, it can also replace other verbs, and therefore “has taken root” in speech in these combinations. Let's look at examples of expressions in which have - does not mean “to have, own, possess,” but replaces another action:

Have in meaning eat (eat) :

Have breakfast/lunch/dinner - have breakfast, lunch, dinner
have a sandwich for breakfast - have a sandwich for breakfast
I will have a salad and some chicken, please. - I will (eat) salad and chicken, please.
What do you have for dinner? - What do you eat for dinner?
He is having his breakfast now. - He's having breakfast now.

Have in meaning drink (drink) :

Have some coffee/ some tea - drink coffee, tea
have a glass of wine - drink a glass of wine
I will have a cup of green tea. - I will (drink) a cup of green tea.
You should have some water if you are hot. - You should drink water if you feel hot.

Have in meaning suffer from(to suffer from) or experience(experience, experience):

Have a headache - suffer from a headache
have a cold - suffer from a cold
have a cough - suffer from a cough
I am having a terrible toothache! - I feel terrible toothache!
have an accident - survive an accident
have a difficulty - experience difficulties

Have in meaning give birth to(beget):

Have a baby - give birth to a child
She is going to have a baby. - She will have a child.
They want to have three children. - They want to have three children.
Our dog had four puppies. - Our dog gave birth to four puppies.

Have in meaning get(receive, buy):

Have news - get news
have information - get information
have a hometask - get homework
I must have those new shoes! - I have to buy those new shoes!

Have in combination with a noun conveys a single short-term action, the meaning of which depends on the noun. It's not difficult, look:

Have a walk - take a walk
have a look - look
have a bath/shower - take a swim
have a talk - talk
have a conversation - talk
have a drink - drink
have a swim - swim
have a ride - take a ride
have a nap - take a nap

In the above expressions we say have, we mean another verb, which is an action verb, so changing the meaning from state to action, the verb have can be used in Continuous tenses. Which, by the way, you might have noticed in some examples.

4. Have to is the equivalent of the modal verb must.

If after the verb have there is an infinitive with a particle to, then you have the equivalent of a modal verb must(must, obliged). The fact is that must does not have past or future forms.
But we need to talk about obligations not only in the present, but also in the past and future tense. And here have to comes to the rescue.

It is important to remember that despite the connection with the modal verb and the unusual form, in this meaning the verb have continues to be semantic, therefore forms negatives and questions using the auxiliary verb of the tense you need:

I don't have to work tomorrow. - I don't have to work tomorrow.
We did not have to buy flowers. - We shouldn't have bought flowers.
He won't have to do much work. - He won't have to do much work.
Does she have to pay? - Does she have to pay?
Did you have to cook? - Were you supposed to cook?

You can find out more about this meaning of the verb have, its use and differences from must.

4. Auxiliary verb in Perfect tenses.

Have in combination with the third form of verbs forms perfect forms. Depending on the time, the form of the verb have changes, but the third form remains unchanged: in the present tense (have and has), in the past (had), and in - will have.
You can read in detail about each of these times in the articles dedicated to them, but now I would like to clarify the issue about. In the examples we discussed above, it was unacceptable to shorten the verb have (although sometimes you want to do so). In tenses of the Perfect group, since have acts as an auxiliary verb, it can be shortened:

I have - I’ve - /aɪv/
you have - you’ve - /juːv/
we have - we’ve - /wiːv/
they have - they’ve - /ðeɪv/

He has -he’s - /hiːz/
she has - she’s - /ʃiːz/

I had - I’d - /aɪd/ (with other pronouns - see above, pronounced by analogy, only the last sound /d/)

In the case of the future tense, have is not abbreviated; we will abbreviate will:
I will have - I’ll have - /aɪlhæv/ (with other pronouns - by analogy, only we change the pronoun)

And of course, since the verb is an auxiliary, have is obligatory for the formation of questions and negations in the tenses of the Prefect group, where it is not translated.
Read how to construct questions and negatives in thematic articles devoted to each tense.

5. Have something done (Causative).

This item is for more advanced readers, since this construction is usually studied at the Upper-Intermediate level. Here have is again in the role of an auxiliary verb and the whole construction means that something is being done without the participation of the one who acts as the subject. In other words: someone has something done, something is done for someone.

Here, too, present and past and future forms of the verb have are used, it constructs negatives and questions and is present in short answers.

The verb to have as an auxiliary verb

1. Verb to have used to form all tense groups in combination with Participle II. Verb to have carries the meaning of a completed action.

Examples: I have read a lot of books. – I read a lot of books.
I had been a teacher for several years. – I was a teacher for several years.

The verb to have as a semantic verb

2. Verb to have corresponds to the Russian verb have, possess, i.e. the verb is translated, which means it has meaning. To express the interrogative and negative form, it is used.

Examples: I have many beautiful dresses. – I (she has) a lot of beautiful dresses.
He has an expensive car. - He (he has) an expensive car.
I don't have many beautiful dresses. – I don’t have many beautiful dresses.
Do you have an expensive car? – Do you have an expensive car?

The verb to have as a modal verb

3. Verb to have used in combination with an infinitive with a particle to to express the need to perform an action due to certain circumstances. The negative and interrogative forms are formed using the verb to do. In Russian in the present tense verb have to translated as must, must, must, have to.

Examples: My sister is little and I have to help her with her home task. – My sister is little and I have to help her with her homework.
Why do you have to help your sister with her home task? -Why do you have to help your sister with her homework?

4. In colloquial speech instead have to sometimes the construction have got to is used. Also in oral speech the abbreviated form of the verb is used have ='ve

Examples: I 've got to phone her back. = I 've to phone her back. - I have to call her back.

In the present and past tenses, it can merge with the negative particle not, in which the letter o is dropped and an apostrophe is used instead.

Conjugation of the verb have in Present Tense

Affirmative form	Negative form	Interrogative form
I have (I've)	I have not (haven’t)	Have I?
you have (you've)	you have not (haven’t)	Have you?
he has (he's)	he has not (hasn’t)	Has he?
she has (she's)	she has not (hasn’t)	Has she?
it has (it's)	it has not (hasn’t)	Has it?
we have (we've)	we have not (haven’t)	Have we?
you have (you've)	you have not (haven’t)	Have you?
they have (they've)	they have not (haven’t)	Have they?

NOTE:

The British English language is characterized by the formation of interrogative and negative forms with this verb without the auxiliary verb do, if isolated cases (actions) are meant, and with the help of the auxiliary verb do, if we mean constant possession (presence). Moreover, in the present tense in the first case in colloquial speech the construction with the verb is more often used get.

For example:

Have you (got) time for a game of chess?
Do you (now) have time to play chess?

Have you (got) any brothers?
Do you have brothers?

For American English and variants characteristic of other English-speaking countries, the use of forms with the auxiliary verb do is in all cases preferable.

For example, where an American might say: Can you help me now? Do you have time?, the Englishman will say: Can you help me now? Have you got time?

In cases where the verb have is used without the auxiliary verb do, the negative form is formed with the help of the negation not (in short form haven’t) or negation before a noun, which in this case is used without an article.

Have you (got) a sister? - Do You have a sister? -
No, I have not. No.
I have no sister. I have no sister.

In the 3rd person singular, the contractions for the verbs be and have are the same, i.e. ‘s.

She's a doctor. = She is a doctor.
She's a book. = She has a book.

Conjugation of the verb have in Past Tense

Affirmative form	Negative form	Interrogative form
I had (I'd)	I had not (hadn’t)	Had I?
you had (you’d)	you had not (hadn’t)	Had you?
he had (he'd)	he had not (hadn’t)	Had he?
she had (she'd)	she had not (hadn’t)	Had she?
it had	it had not (hadn’t)	Had it?
we had (we'd)	we had not (hadn’t)	Had we?
you had (you’d)	you had not (hadn’t)	Had you?
they had (they'd)	they had not (hadn’t)	Had they?

Use

The verb to have is used:

1. As an independent verb in the meaning of “to have”, “to possess”.

We have a summer cottage. We have a dacha.

As noted above, the meaning of “to have”, “to possess” in the British version is also conveyed by the combination have got.

I have(have got = I’ve got) an interesting book.
I have an interesting book.

Have did you get the latest newspaper? -
Do you have last number newspapers ( latest newspaper)? -

No, I haven't got it.
No, I don't have one.

In the interrogative and negative forms, the auxiliary verb do is used to express ordinary actions (but not with the combination have got).

Do you have dinner at home?
Do you have lunch at home?

I don't have dinner at home very often.
I don't have lunch at home very often.

Interrogative and negative form with the verb have meaning “to have” can be formed in two ways.

2. As an auxiliary verb in combination with Past Participle (3rd form of the main verb) to form the following tenses:

I have been in hospital. I was in the hospital.
Doesn't have dug the patch for potatoes. He dug up a plot for potatoes.
Have you heard the new rock-group? Have you listened to the new rock band?

3. As a modal verb in combination with an infinitive in the meaning of obligation, conditioned by circumstances (i.e., the need to perform an action, as required by conditions, circumstances, situation). The combination have to in such cases is translated must, need to, necessary, have to. In this meaning, the interrogative and negative forms are formed using the auxiliary verb do.

I have to go there. I must go there (i.e. I have to go there, I am forced to go there).
He has to take a bus to get to his office. He has to take a bus to his work.

In dialogues, the combinations have to/had to are often used independently, that is, the infinitive itself is omitted, but is implied.

Why do you put on your raincoat? - Why are you wearing a cloak? -
I have to. It looks like rain. I have to (put it on). It looks like it will rain.

Why do you wear spectacles? - Why do you wear glasses? -
I have to(wear them). I am short-sighted. I am forced (to wear them). I'm nearsighted.

I didn't want to stop but I had to(stop) as I needed petrol.
I didn't want to stop, but I had to because I ran out of gas (I needed gas).

4. The verb to have in combination with nouns forms a whole series of phraseological expressions that have the meaning of a verb.

to have a talk - talk
to have supper - have dinner
to have a smoke - smoke
to have lunch - have breakfast
to have a swim - swim
to have a bath - take a bath
to have a rest - relax
to have difficulties/troubles - encounter difficulties/troubles
to have a good holiday - have a good holiday/vacation
to have dinner - have lunch

Interrogative (if it is general question or the question is not directed to the subject) and the negative forms with these expressions are formed using the auxiliary verb do.

When do you have supper? When do you have dinner?
Did you have breakfast? Did you have breakfast?

The construction have + object + Past Participle expresses an action that is, has been, or will be performed by someone for the speaker or for the person indicated by the speaker.

To understand what form of the verb have put in a specific sentence, you need to look at the subject:

If the subject is in the 3rd person singular, then substitute has.
In all other cases we substitute have.

In practice, the subject can be a pronoun or a noun. If you have a pronoun as a subject, then you need to know that has is written only with the pronouns he (translated as “he”), she (she), it (it). Have is used with all other pronouns. For clarity, here is a detailed table:

I	have...	I have …
You	have...	You have …
He	has...	He has …
She	has...	She has …
It	has...	It has …
We	have...	We have …
They	have...	They have …

Have, has - the rule for choosing the right one

forms of the verb to have.

If the subject of your sentence is a noun, then write has for the singular and have for the plural. For example:

This woman has black hair
This woman has black hair. (Singular)

Many people have black hair
Many people have black hair. (Plural).

Please note that a noun can be preceded by an arbitrary number of adjectives; this does not affect the choice of verb form (have or has):

This young, pretty woman has black hair
This young pretty woman has black hair.

We added the adjectives “young and pretty”, but since the number is still singular, after woman there is still has. The rule says: after the words he, she, it or a singular noun you need to use has, otherwise - have. The rule and table given above clearly say that after woman it is written has, not have.

How are questions and negations constructed?

A similar table for negative sentences:

Phrase template			Translation
I	don"t	have...	I do not have …
You	don"t	have...	You don't have...
he	doesn't	have...	He does not have …
she	doesn't	have...	She does not have …
it	doesn't	have...	It doesn't have...
we	don"t	have...	We do not have …
they	don"t	have...	They do not have …

Examples:

Does she have a leather wallet?
Does she have a leather wallet?

Do we have a ripe banana?
Do we have a ripe banana?

I don't have blue shoes
I don't have blue shoes.

Past tense

Past tense verb have does not change in faces. It has a single form of had, which is used in all persons. For example:

I had a beautiful doll.
I had a beautiful doll.

She had colored felt-tip pens.
She had colored markers.

Summarize. To the question “When is it written have, and when has?”, the short answer is: has is written when there is a pronoun he, she, it or a singular noun. Have is written in other cases. You can read more about the verb have and its meanings in the article

Today we will talk about the different forms and functions of one strong English verb have (having). The rule for the formation and use of this verb is quite extensive, but at the same time simple. Once you carefully study the information, you will no longer have problems using it. The whole essence of the verb lies in its versatility. We will try to review each of the functions as easily as possible.

general characteristics

While studying English, we come across different variants of the verb that interests us: had, has, have, having. The rules for using each of these forms are quite precise, so it is difficult to confuse them if you carefully study all the information. To begin with, we note that this verb can perform the following functions:

A semantic verb, which in translation means “to have”. He has a big house. He has a big house. It should be added that the translation into Russian may differ, since the option sounds more literary: He has a big house.
An auxiliary verb that serves to form different tense forms. In this case it is not translated. She has done it already. She's already done it. They are having dinner now. We are having lunch now.
Modal verb expressing obligation. He has to visit a doctor. He is forced to go to the doctor.

Depending on what function the verb performs, the form of the verb and how it behaves when forming interrogative and negative sentences are determined.

British and American versions

One of the most simple options The use of a given verb is its use as a semantic one. In this case we will be dealing with forms have And has, have got And has got. The rule for their application is quite simple:

In British English it is used simple form“have” to express possession of some object one time. He has a nice toy. He has a beautiful toy. This means that he now has a toy in his hands.
When expressing possession of something on a permanent basis, the form with got. He has got a nice toy. In this case, the translation will sound unchanged: “ He has a beautiful toy”, but it is implied that this thing belongs to him permanently.

As we can see, the type of form does not critically affect the translation of sentences, so you can safely use any of them. The main thing is not to confuse how to form other types of sentences using these forms. When forming interrogative sentences, verbs behave as follows:

In the British version, this verb is perceived as strong, so it does not need any help when asking a question. Has he (got) a dog? He has a dog?
In the American version, the verb is used in pairs with auxiliary verbs do/does. Do you have a dog? You have a dog?

Which option you choose depends on your preference and where you live. It is recommended to communicate in the dialect of the language spoken in the area.

Features of forms in the present tense

It doesn't matter which form you choose: has or has got/have got, the rule for forming forms for different persons and numbers must be observed in any case. So, in the present tense this verb has the forms:

The same forms are used to form negative sentences.

He has not (hasn’t) any enemies.
He does not (doesn’t) have any enemies.

Past tense

Separately, it is necessary to note the past tense forms for the verb have (having). The rule of application is the same as in the present tense, that is, it is possible to use English or American style. In this tense the verb has only one form - had, so you don’t need to choose, but when forming questions and negatives, you still have to think a little. For example, a sentence: He had a big pie. He had a big pie.

British version: Had he a big pie? Did he have a big pie?
American version: Did he have a big pie? Did he have a big pie?

So, you just need to choose what style you are going to communicate in and stick with that style throughout the conversation.

Have/having: rule of education

Very important function What this verb accomplishes is the formation of different tense forms. This refers to the formation of such verb variants as have done/has done or have been, has been. The rule for the formation of tense formulas in which our verb is involved is:

Present perfect tense	have/has + Participle II	He has left the city. He left the city.
Past perfect tense	had + Participle II	They had done it by that time. By then they had done it.
Future perfect tense	will have + Participle II	I will have finished the work by the end of the week. I'll finish work by the end of the week.
Present continuous perfect tense	have/has been + Participle I	She has been working. She works.
Past continuous perfect tense	had been + Participle I	He had been reading. He read.
Future continuous perfect tense	will have been + Participle I	We will have been sitting. We will sit.

Present and past tense verb have perceived as a strong auxiliary, used to pose questions and negations to a sentence.

Has he left the city?
They hadn't done it yet.
Have you been reading?

In the future tense, this function is taken over by the verb will.

Will you have finished the work by the end of the week?
We will not have been sitting.

Modal verb have to

The rule for using this verb as a modal says that it is applicable as an expression of obligation, and the subject himself does not realize the need to perform an action, but this is caused by some circumstances. It is this shade of compulsion that made this form more commonly used in Lately. Translated into Russian, such a verb means “necessary, forced, must, had to,” etc.

He has to do it at once. He is forced to do it right away.

Distinctive feature modal form is that when forming a sentence, a particle is always paired with a verb to, which is placed before the infinitive of the main semantic verb expressing the action itself.

She has to leave now. She must leave now.

Also, when constructing an interrogative or negative sentence, the help of verbs is always used do/does.

Do they have to buy it? Should they buy it?
You don't have to read this book. You don't have to read this book.

Note that the forms of the modal verb are absolutely identical to the forms of the simple semantic “to have”.

In the past and future tenses, the same forms are used for all persons and numbers had to And will have to.

Phraseologisms

In the end, I would like to remind you that in combination with some words, our verb can lose its direct meaning and be translated completely differently. Most often in such cases, when asking questions and negatives, an auxiliary verb is used do/does/did.

She has lunch at 1. She has lunch at 1.
We had a talk after dinner. After dinner we talked.
Did you have a bath? Have you already shopped?
I didn't have a smoke yet. I haven't smoked yet.

As can be seen from the information presented, the use and interpretation of the verb will not cause difficulties if you carefully study all the rules. And, of course, we must not forget about practical training.