The verb to have · Conjugation
Present Continuous of have
The answer: am / is / are having
A1
An action happening now, at the moment of speaking.
Quick answer
The Present Continuous of the verb to have is am / is / are having.
Example: I am having lunch right now.
Full conjugation in the Present Continuous
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | am having | I'm having |
| You | are having | You're having |
| He / She / It | is having | He's / She's / It's having |
| We | are having | We're having |
| You (pl.) | are having | You're having |
| They | are having | They're having |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. She having ❌
The Present Continuous always has two parts: am, is or are + the -ing form. Without the helper verb, the sentence is wrong: say she is having, I am having. Without -ing, it is wrong too: she is have ❌.
2. I am knowing ❌
Some verbs describe a state, not an action: know, understand, want, need, like, love, believe, remember. They are not normally used in the continuous, even for right now: I know the answer, I don't understand. Have is special: I am having lunch is fine (an action), but I am having a bike is wrong (something you own).
3. I am playing football every Saturday ❌
For habits and routines, use the Present Simple: I play football every Saturday. Use the Present Continuous only for now or for a short time: I am playing football right now. With have: I have for a habit, I am having for right now.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate have in the Present Continuous?+
Use am, is or are (the present of be) + the -ing form having. Use am with I, is with he, she and it, and are with you, we and they. For example: I am having, she is having, they are having. In speech, you usually say I'm, she's, they're.
When do you use the Present Continuous of have?+
Use it for an action happening now, at the moment of speaking. Also use it for a situation that is only temporary (this week, these days). Common signal words are now, right now, at the moment and Look! With have, use it for actions: I am having lunch, We are having fun. Do not use it for things you own: I have a bike, not I am having a bike.
What is the difference between I have and I am having?+
I have is the Present Simple: a habit or a fact. I am having is the Present Continuous: an action happening now, or for a short time. Compare: I play football every Saturday and I am playing football right now.
How do you make the negative and the question of have in the Present Continuous?+
Negative: add not after am, is or are: I'm not having, she isn't having, they aren't having. Question: put am, is or are before the subject: Are you having…?, Is she having…? Do not add do: Do you are having? is wrong.
What is the -ing form of have?+
The -ing form of have is having. Verbs that end in a silent -e lose the -e before -ing: have → having (like make → making). You also use it in the Past Continuous (I was having) and after a preposition (before having).
Related pages: have Present Continuous
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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/present-continuous
© 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.
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More forms of the verb to have are coming soon.