Irregular verb
The verb to have
have → had → had
A1Meaning: to own something; to eat or drink something · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 10 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they have·he/she/it has - Past Simple:
had(for every person) - Past participle:
had(the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
having
Conjugation of the verb to have
Present Simple
| I | have | I've |
| You | have | You've |
| He / She / It | has | He's / She's / It's |
| We | have | We've |
| You (pl.) | have | You've |
| They | have | They've |
Past Simple
| I | had | I'd |
| You | had | You'd |
| He / She / It | had | He'd / She'd / It'd |
| We | had | We'd |
| You (pl.) | had | You'd |
| They | had | They'd |
All the forms of the verb to have
Present Simple
Full pagehave / has
“I have a brother. She has blue eyes.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are having
“I am having lunch right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagehad
“We had a great time.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were having
“I was having lunch when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has had
“I have had this car for ten years.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad had
“She had already had lunch when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill have
“I will have lunch tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to have
“I'm going to have lunch this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould have
“I would have lunch if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to have
1. Owning or having something (main verb)
As a main verb, have means to own something. With food and drinks, it means to eat or drink: have breakfast, have a coffee.
- I have two brothers.
- She has long hair.
- We have breakfast at 8.
- Let's have a coffee.
2. Making the Present Perfect (auxiliary)
Have / has + past participle makes the Present Perfect, which connects the past to now.
- I have finished my homework.
- She has lived in Paris for 3 years.
3. Have got: the British way to say you own something
I've got a brother means the same as I have a brother. Have got is more common in British English and in speech. In the past, don't use had got: just say had.
- I've got a brother.
- Have you got a pen?
4. Have to: saying something is necessary
Have to means it is necessary, often because of a rule or another person. You don't have to come means it is not necessary: you can choose.
- I have to leave at 6.
- She has to wear a uniform.
- You don't have to come.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. He have a car ❌
With he, she and it, have becomes has: He has a car, never he have.
2. Don't have to = mustn't ❌
Don't have to means it is not necessary: you are free to choose. Mustn't means it is forbidden. You don't have to come (you can stay at home if you want) is very different from You mustn't come (you are not allowed to come).
3. Have you a brother? ❌
When have is the main verb (to own), use do: Do you have a brother? Have you a brother? is very old-fashioned. When have is the auxiliary (Present Perfect), put it before the subject: Have you finished your homework?
Going further
Conjugating to have is a key skill in the English contest
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Related pages: have
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate have in the present?+
Have has two forms in the Present Simple: have with I, you, we and they (I have), and has with he, she and it (he has). It is one of the few verbs that does not just add -s in the third person.
What is the past simple of have?+
The Past Simple of have is had, for every person: I had, you had, she had, they had. The past participle is also had: it is the same word.
What is the difference between have and have got?+
For things you own, have and have got mean the same: I have a brother = I've got a brother. Have got is more common in British English and in speech. Be careful: in have got, have works as a helping verb (auxiliary): Have you got a pen? I haven't got a pen.
How do you use have to?+
Have to means that something is necessary, often because of a rule: I have to leave at 6. With he, she and it: he has to. In the past: I had to. The negative don't have to means it is not necessary (you can choose). It does not mean it is forbidden.
Is have an auxiliary or a main verb?+
It can be both. As a helping verb (auxiliary), have makes the Present Perfect: I have eaten my lunch. As a main verb, it means to own something: I have a bike. When have is the main verb, use do for questions and negatives: Do you have a bike?
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/have
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.