have is on the Basic English 850 List.
hate - have - he
have is one of the 1000 most common headwords.
hate - have - he

Pronunciation change

  • (stressed) IPA (key): /hæv/
  • (unstressed) IPA (key): /həv/ or /əv/ or /ə/
  • (have to): (UK, US) IPA (key): /hæf/, (UK) IPA (key): /hæv/
  • (file)
  • (file)

Verb change

Plain form
have

Third-person singular
has

Past tense
had

Past participle
had

Present participle
having

  1. (transitive) Someone has something if the thing is in their hands. The person is holding or gripping it.
    Do you have a spoon, or do you need me to give you one so you can eat the soup?
  2. (intransitive) If you have to do something, you must do it.
    I have to go.
    John had to pay a fine.
  3. (transitive) Someone has something if the thing is that person's thing: the person owns it; it belongs to the person.
    The rich family has a big house.
  4. (transitive) If you have you hold something in the mind.
    I have a doubt about him.
  5. (transitive) If you have you join something.
    We have lunch at 13:00.
  6. (transitive) You use have to say that you suffer from something or to tell the experience.
    I have a defective vision. (I don't see well.)
    He had a wonderful time with his friends.

Verb change

Plain form
have

Plain present
have

Third person singular
has

Past
had

Present participle
having

Negative

haven't

hasn't

hadn't

None

Contracted

've

's

'd

None

  1. (auxiliary) You use have to form the perfect.
    I have closed the window. (Also: I've closed the window.)
    I had already eaten before. (Also: I'd already eaten before.)