{"id":149076,"date":"2023-05-15T19:10:50","date_gmt":"2023-05-15T23:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/has-vs-have\/"},"modified":"2025-01-03T08:56:03","modified_gmt":"2025-01-03T13:56:03","slug":"has-vs-have","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/english\/has-vs-have\/","title":{"rendered":"When to Use Has vs. Have (Including Example Sentences)"},"content":{"rendered":"

As an English learner, you probably see the English words “has” and “have” frequently.\u00a0If you’re a beginner English speaker, you might be confused about how to use them. In that case, you’ve come to the right post.<\/p>\n

We’re going to crack the code and solve the mystery of “has” vs. “have.”\u00a0Read on to find out about their main differences and how to use each properly, plus handy practice resources.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Difference Between “Has” vs. “Have”<\/h2>\n

“Has” and “have” are both conjugations of the verb \u201cto have.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The main difference between them is that \u201chas\u201d is used with the third person singular (he, she, it), while \u201chave\u201d is used for all other subjects.<\/strong> The exception to this is with negative statements and questions, where you always use \u201chave.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

You can think of the difference as being all about points of view.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

In English, anything we read or speak is coming from a particular point of view. The point of view tells you who is speaking, and who is being spoken about.<\/p>\n

You can know the point of view by looking at which pronouns are used. Let’s quickly review:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t
Point of View<\/th>Meaning<\/th>Singular<\/th>Plural<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
First Person<\/td>The speaker is talking about himself or herself (with other people included if plural).<\/td>I have<\/strong><\/td>We have<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Second Person<\/td>The speaker is talking directly to somebody else.<\/td>You have<\/strong><\/td>You have<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Third Person<\/td>The speaker is talking about somebody or something else.<\/td>He has<\/strong>
\nShe has<\/strong>
\nIt has<\/strong><\/td>		They have<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Got it? Great! Now that you understand points of view, using “has” and “have” becomes very easy.<\/p>\n

In the Present Tense\u00a0<\/h3>\n

\u201cHave\u201d and \u201chas\u201d\u00a0can both be used in the present tense<\/a> as a main verb<\/a> to mean possession.<\/p>\n

Here’s the difference:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t
Type of Sentence<\/th>Has<\/th>Have<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Affirmative Statement<\/td>\u2713 (he, she, it, singular nouns)<\/td>\u2713 (I, we, you, plural nouns)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Negative Statement<\/td>\ud800\udd02<\/td>\u2713<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Question<\/td>\ud800\udd02<\/td>\u2713<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

In the present tense, “has” is used with the third-person singular point of view. <\/strong>That means you’ll use it with “he,” “she,” “it,” a name or a singular noun.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It’s also used with singular English pronouns<\/a> like “everybody,” “anybody,” or “nobody”:<\/p>\n

Everybody has<\/strong> a copy of the book.<\/em><\/p>\n

Nobody has<\/strong> the answer.<\/em><\/p>\n

I don’t think anybody has<\/strong> coffee.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Have” is used for the other points of view\u2013the first- and second-person points of view, and the third-person plural point of view.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In other words, use “have” with the subjects “I,” “you,” “we” or “they”:<\/p>\n

I have<\/strong> a headache.<\/em><\/p>\n

You have<\/strong> a new laptop.<\/em><\/p>\n

They have<\/strong> three cats.<\/em><\/p>\n

We have <\/strong>a big house.<\/em><\/p>\n

Also, use “have” with plural nouns or when talking about multiple people or things at the same time:<\/p>\n

Those dresses have<\/strong> stripes.<\/em><\/p>\n

Roger and I have <\/strong>a red car.<\/em><\/p>\n

My dog and Patricia’s cat have<\/strong> brown fur.<\/em><\/p>\n

Aside from this,\u00a0with negative statements or questions<\/a><\/strong>, you can only use “have” and not “has.” Even if the subject is “he,” “she,” “it,” a name or a singular noun, you’ll need to use “have.”<\/p>\n

Here are some questions in the present tense, all using “have”:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Does anybody have<\/strong> the answer to the question?<\/em><\/p>\n

Do you have<\/strong> the book?<\/em><\/p>\n

Does she have<\/strong> a house?<\/em><\/p>\n

The same is true for negative statements in the present tense:<\/p>\n

She does not have<\/strong> a room.<\/em><\/p>\n

I do not have <\/strong>a brother.<\/em><\/p>\n

They do not have <\/strong>time to see you.<\/em><\/p>\n

In the Present Perfect Tense\u00a0<\/h3>\n

“Has” and “have” can also be auxiliary verbs that help create the present perfect tense<\/a>, in combination with other verbs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The rules for using them as auxiliary verbs are actually simpler. It just depends on the subject.<\/p>\n

If the subject is third-person singular: “he,” “she,” “it,” a name or a singular noun, you’ll always use “has”:<\/p>\n

John has<\/strong> gone<\/strong> to California four times.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

The dog has not eaten<\/strong> today.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Has<\/strong> she received<\/strong> the letter?<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

You’ll use “have” in the present perfect tense with subjects “I,” “you,” “we” or “they,” as well as plural nouns.<\/p>\n

I have watched <\/strong>“Game of Thrones” four times.<\/em><\/p>\n

You have helped <\/strong>me a lot.<\/em><\/p>\n

They have asked<\/strong> many questions.<\/em><\/p>\n

We have thought<\/strong> about this all day.<\/em><\/p>\n

This is true for negative statements or questions too:<\/p>\n

My friends have not watched<\/strong> “Game of Thrones.”<\/em><\/p>\n

You have not helped<\/strong> me at all.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Have they asked<\/strong> too many questions?<\/em><\/p>\n

The Meaning of “Has” and “Have”<\/h2>\n

Now that you know about the differences between “has” and “have,” let’s review the two main uses of the verb “to have,” which is their infinitive, or original, form<\/a>:\u00a0<\/p>\n

To Mean Possession<\/h3>\n

We use “to have” w<\/strong>hen we talk about possessing (owning) something.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here are some conjugations<\/a> of the verb “to have”:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t
Tense<\/th>Conjugation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Present<\/td>has, have<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Present progressive<\/td>is \/ are having<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Past <\/td>had<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

For example, look at the following sentences:<\/p>\n

She has<\/strong> the book.<\/em><\/p>\n

I have<\/strong> the book.<\/em><\/p>\n

In both sentences,\u00a0 the verb “to have” is conjugated in the present tense.<\/p>\n

As Auxiliary Verbs<\/h3>\n

The verb “to have” has another use. It’s also<\/strong> an auxiliary verb.<\/strong><\/p>\n

An auxiliary verb is combined with another verb to complete the meaning of a sentence. Because of this, it’s also called a “helping verb.” For example:<\/p>\n

She has eaten <\/strong>dinner already.<\/em><\/p>\n

I have seen <\/strong>that movie.<\/em><\/p>\n

These sentences both use the perfect tense. Here, “has” and “have” don’t indicate possession. Instead, adding “has” or “have” to another verb creates that verb’s perfect tense form.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In general, the verb “to have” is important as an auxiliary verb because it creates the past perfect <\/strong>and present perfect tenses for other verbs.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Contractions with “Has” and “Have”\u00a0<\/h2>\n

In English, “has” and “have” are often used in contractions\u2014which is where you combine two words with an apostrophe, and at least one letter is removed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Contractions are incredibly common in informal English<\/a>, whether in writing or speaking. For more formal types of writing, though, such as academic or business writing, contractions are often avoided, so you spell the words out instead. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Below are some examples of contractions combining \u201chas\u201d or \u201chave\u201d with personal pronouns and other common words, and you can click here<\/a> for our full post on the topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Original<\/th>Contraction<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
I have<\/td>I've<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
We have<\/td>We've<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
You have<\/td>You've<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
He has<\/td>He's<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
She has<\/td>She's <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
It has<\/td>It's<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
They have<\/td>They've<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Should have<\/td>Hasn't<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Would have<\/td>Haven't<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Where has<\/td>Where's<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Where have<\/td>Where've<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

\u201cHas\u201d or \u201chave\u201d can also be combined with \u201cnot\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t
Original<\/th>Contraction<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Has not<\/td>Hasn't<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Have not<\/td>Haven't<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

How to Practice “Has” and “Have”<\/h2>\n

Practicing English grammar doesn’t need to be hard or boring. There are many amazing resources available on the internet, plus other fun ways to practice.<\/p>\n