Verb ‘To Have’: Forms, Uses, and Examples

The verb “to have” is one of the most useful and flexible verbs in English. You use it to talk about what you own, what you experience, and what others do for you. It also works as an auxiliary verb to form perfect tenses like have done or had finished.

Because have, has, and had appear in almost every kind of sentence, understanding how they change with tense and subject is essential for clear, accurate writing. This guide explains the forms and functions of the verb “to have”, shows how it behaves as both a main and helping verb, and includes examples to help you use it naturally.

What Does the Verb “To Have” Mean?

At its core, the verb “to have” means to possess, own, or hold. It shows that something belongs to someone or is part of their situation.

Examples:

• I have a reliable laptop for work.
• She has two older brothers.
• The house has a large backyard.

Beyond possession, have often describes relationships, experiences, or states rather than ownership.

Examples:

• We had a wonderful time at the museum.
• They have a good friendship.
• He has a cold today.

The meaning also shifts depending on how it’s used. As a main verb, it talks about having something or experiencing something. As an auxiliary verb, it helps form perfect tenses such as has done or have seen. You’ll learn both uses in detail later in this guide.

Forms of the Verb “To Have”

The verb “to have” changes form depending on the subject and tense. It has five main forms that appear across different grammatical structures.

A few simple rules help you choose the right form:

• Use “have” with I, you, we, and they.
• Use “has” with he, she, and it.
• Use “had” for all subjects when referring to the past.

Examples:

• I have two tickets for the concert.
• She has a meeting at 9 a.m.
• We had an early start yesterday.

The form having appears mainly in continuous or participial uses (for example, having dinner, having completed the task), while had works for both the simple past and perfect tenses.

“To Have” as a Main Verb

When “to have” acts as a main verb, it carries its own meaning rather than helping another verb. It commonly refers to possession, relationships, experiences, and certain fixed activities.

Possession

This is the most direct and frequent use of have. It shows that something belongs to someone or is part of what they own.

Examples:

• I have a new apartment near the river.
• She has three pets at home.
• The hotel has a rooftop pool.

In this sense, have behaves like any ordinary verb. In the simple present tense, you use do or does for questions and negatives:

• Do you have a minute to talk?
• She doesn’t have a car.

Relationships and Qualities

Have also expresses things that describe personal traits, features, or relationships.

Examples:

• They have strong teamwork skills.
• He has blue eyes and dark hair.
• We have a good relationship with our neighbors.

Experiences and Events

You can use have to talk about things you do, feel, or experience, especially when the action is considered a whole event.

Examples:

• We had a great time at the festival.
• She is having trouble with her computer.
• They had a long discussion about the proposal.

Causative Use

In certain expressions, have means that someone else performs an action for you. This is called the causative form.

Examples:

• She had her hair cut yesterday.
• We’re having the kitchen repainted next week.
• He had his car serviced before the trip.

These sentences show that the subject arranges for the action rather than doing it personally.

“To Have” as an Auxiliary Verb

The verb “to have” also works as an auxiliary (helping) verb. In this role, it combines with the past participle of another verb to form perfect tenses.

Present Perfect Tense

Have or has + past participle shows that an action started in the past and continues or connects to the present.

Examples:

• I have finished my report.
• She has traveled to Paris twice.
• They have lived here for ten years.

Past Perfect Tense

Had + past participle shows that one action happened before another past event.

Examples:

• By the time we arrived, the meeting had started.
• He had already eaten when they called him.
• The team had completed the project before the deadline.

Future Perfect Tense

Will have + past participle expresses that something will be completed before a future point in time.

Examples:

• By next week, I will have finished the course.
• She will have left for London by 9 a.m.
• They will have completed construction before winter.

Negative and Question Forms

When have acts as an auxiliary, you don’t use “do” or “does.” Instead, it carries the negation or inversion itself.

• She hasn’t finished her assignment.
• Have they arrived yet?

Contractions

In spoken and informal writing, have and has are often contracted:

• I have → I’ve
• You have → You’ve
• He has → He’s
• They have → They’ve

Example: She’s written a detailed report for the meeting.

Using have as a helping verb is what allows English to form the entire range of perfect tenses that connect actions and time clearly.

Have vs. Has vs. Had

Choosing between have, has, and had depends on the subject and tense. These small differences affect sentence correctness and clarity.

Subject–Verb Agreement

• Use have with I, you, we, and they.
• Use has with he, she, and it.

Correct:
I have enough time to finish the project.
She has a quiet office space.
They have two presentations today.

Incorrect:
He have two dogs.
He has two dogs.

Using Had for the Past

Had is the past form of both have and has. It applies to all subjects.

Examples:

• I had a great teacher in college.
• She had lunch before the meeting.
• They had an early start this morning.

Avoid Continuous Forms for States of Possession

When have shows possession or a state, it does not take the continuous form (am having, is having) because possession isn’t an ongoing action.

Incorrect: I am having a car.
Correct: I have a car.

But having is correct when the meaning refers to an activity or experience:

• We are having dinner now.
• She is having difficulty logging in.

Have to and Have Got to

The expression “have to” shows obligation (similar to must). For example, “I have to attend the meeting at 3 p.m.” You can also use “have got to” with the same meaning, especially in informal or British English. For example, “I’ve got to finish this report tonight.” You can learn this difference in detail in the article Have vs. Have Got.

Common Expressions with “Have”

The verb “have” appears in many everyday expressions where it describes activities, experiences, or fixed events. These are not always about possession but about doing or experiencing something.

Daily Activities

You often use have to talk about meals, meetings, and general routines.

Examples:

• We have breakfast together every morning.
• She had a quick meeting before lunch.
• They’re having a party this weekend.

Experiences and Feelings

Have helps describe experiences or emotional states.

Examples:

• I had a great time at the workshop.
• He is having trouble accessing the file.
• They had a pleasant conversation with the manager.

Illnesses and Physical States

It’s also used for temporary conditions or health-related situations.

Examples:

• She has a cold today.
• He had a headache after the flight.
• I’m having back pain from sitting too long.

Social and Professional Contexts

In more formal or workplace settings, have is used for discussions, events, and arrangements.

Examples:

• The company had a meeting with investors yesterday.
• We’re having training sessions next month.
• She had an interview for the new role.

Fixed Phrases and Idioms

Some phrases with have are idiomatic and should be learned as complete expressions.

Examples:

• have a look
• have a rest
• have a say
• have a word (meaning “speak briefly”)
• have a go (meaning “try something”)

These expressions are common in both British and American English, though have got may appear more in British usage when referring to possession or necessity.

Example Sentences in Different Tenses

The verb “to have” appears in nearly every English tense. Studying it across time frames helps you understand how its meaning and structure change with context.

Simple Present

Used for general facts, habits, or states.

Examples:

• I have a meeting every Monday.
• She has two young children.
• They have enough time to review the report.

Present Continuous

Used with having to describe actions or experiences happening now (not possession).

Examples:

• We’re having lunch at the café near the office.
• He is having difficulty setting up the software.
• They’re having a great time at the event.

Simple Past

Used to describe completed actions or states in the past.

Examples:

• I had an important call this morning.
• She had a flat tire on her way to work.
• We had a family dinner last weekend.

Present Perfect

Shows a completed action that connects to the present.

Examples:

• I have finished my assignments already.
• She has visited the new art gallery.
• They have had several meetings today.

Past Perfect

Shows one past action that happened before another.

Examples:

• By the time we arrived, the guests had left.
• She had already eaten before the meeting began.
• He had had the same phone for five years before upgrading.

Future Perfect

Describes an action that will be completed before a specific future time.

Examples:

• I will have completed the report by Friday.
• She will have had enough experience to apply for the senior position.
• They will have moved into their new house by next summer.

Quick Reference Table

This table summarizes how “to have” changes across forms, tenses, and functions. Use it as a quick guide to identify the correct structure in your sentences.

FAQs About Verb ‘To Have’