Haben
'Haben' (to have) is one of the most important and irregular verbs in German. It's used constantly in everyday communication.
It's irregular and must be memorized. It's also used as an auxiliary verb in perfect tense for most verbs.
This lesson covers all forms and uses of 'haben' in German.
Explanation
Present tense conjugation: ich habe, du hast, er/sie/es hat, wir haben, ihr habt, sie/Sie haben.
Simple past: ich hatte, du hattest, er/sie/es hatte, wir hatten, ihr hattet, sie hatten.
Past participle: gehabt. Perfect: 'Ich habe gehabt' (I have had).
'Haben' is used as an auxiliary verb in perfect tense for most verbs: 'Ich habe gelernt' (I have learned).
'Haben' is used to express possession, relationships, and characteristics: 'Ich habe ein Auto' (I have a car), 'Er hat Hunger' (He is hungry).
Haben - All Tenses
| Tense | ich | du | er/sie/es | wir | ihr | sie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present | habe | hast | hat | haben | habt | haben |
| Simple Past | hatte | hattest | hatte | hatten | hattet | hatten |
| Perfect | habe gehabt | hast gehabt | hat gehabt | haben gehabt | habt gehabt | haben gehabt |
Examples
Ich habe ein Auto.
I have a car.
Er hat Hunger.
He is hungry. (literally: He has hunger)
Wir haben Zeit.
We have time.
Sie hatte gestern Besuch.
She had visitors yesterday.
Ich habe Deutsch gelernt.
I have learned German.
Common Mistakes
Ich hast
Ich habe
'Ich' requires 'habe', not 'hast'. 'Hast' is for 'du'.
Er haben
Er hat
'Er' requires 'hat', not 'haben'. 'Haben' is for 'wir/sie'.
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding with interactive exercises. Practice makes perfect!
Start Exercises →Related Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which article to use?
German articles (der, die, das) depend on the gender of the noun. While there are some patterns, many nouns must be memorized. Practice and exposure to German will help you learn them naturally.
What's the difference between definite and indefinite articles?
Definite articles (der, die, das) mean 'the' and refer to specific things. Indefinite articles (ein, eine) mean 'a/an' and refer to non-specific things. Both must match the noun's gender: use 'ein' for masculine/neuter and 'eine' for feminine.
Are there rules for determining noun gender?
While there are some helpful patterns (e.g., words ending in -ung are usually feminine), there are many exceptions. The best approach is to learn nouns with their articles from the beginning.
What happens if I use the wrong article?
While using the wrong article is a common mistake, native speakers will usually still understand you. However, using the correct article is important for sounding natural and fluent in German.