Haber: to have
Pronunciation: ah-BEHR (stress the capital letters)
Haber means “to have” in English.
Quick answer
- Meaning: to have (auxiliary); there is/are
- How to say it: ah-BEHR
- Present: yo he, tú has
- Level: Elementary (A2)
What “haber” means and how to use it
Haber is mainly an auxiliary verb: it builds perfect tenses like “he comido” (I have eaten). The impersonal form “hay” means “there is/are.”
How to conjugate “haber”
| Who | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | he | I |
| tú | has | you (informal) |
| él, ella, usted | ha | he, she, you (formal) |
| nosotros | hemos | we |
| ellos, ustedes | han | they, you all |
| Past (preterite) | yo hube, él hubo | I / he or she |
| Past participle | habido | used with haber |
Examples with audio
- He terminado mi tarea.I have finished my homework.
- Hay mucha gente en el parque.There are many people in the park.
- ¿Has estado en México?Have you ever been to Mexico?
Usage tip
Do not use haber for possessing things: that is tener. Haber works as “have” only with a past participle: he comido, has llegado. “Había” and “hubo” mean “there was.”
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “to have” in Spanish?
“to have” in Spanish is “haber.” It is pronounced ah-BEHR, with the stress on the syllable in capital letters.
How do you pronounce “haber”?
Say ah-BEHR. The syllable in capital letters gets the stress. Press the speaker button at the top of this page to hear it.
What is the past tense of “haber”?
In the preterite, “yo” is “hube” and “él” is “hubo.” The past participle is “habido.”
Practice “haber” for free
Reading helps, but practice makes it stick. Try short exercises with instant feedback.