German for Beginners: Expressing Possession with 'haben' (to have)
Learn to use the German verb 'haben' (to have) to express possession for different subjects, such as 'I have a bike' and 'she has a car'.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In German, the verb 'haben' (to have) is essential for expressing what you or others possess. Unlike English, where 'have' changes to 'has' for he/she/it, German uses different forms for each subject. This lesson will teach you the present tense conjugation of 'haben' and how to use it in simple sentences. You'll also learn to distinguish it from possessive adjectives like 'mein' (my). By the end, you'll be able to say what you and others have.
By the end, you can…
- conjugate the verb 'haben' in the present tense for all subjects.
- form simple sentences to express possession using 'haben'.
- distinguish between the verb 'haben' and possessive adjectives.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ich habe ein Fahrrad.
I have a bicycle.
ikh HAH-buh ine FAHR-raht
'Ich' is the first-person singular pronoun; 'habe' is the correct form of 'haben' for 'ich'.
Du hast ein Auto.
You have a car.
doo hahst ine OW-toh
'Du' is informal singular 'you'; 'hast' is the form for 'du'.
Er hat einen Hund.
He has a dog.
air haht INE-en hoont
'Er' means 'he'; 'hat' is the form for 'er', 'sie', and 'es'. Note 'einen' because 'Hund' is masculine.
Wir haben ein Haus.
We have a house.
veer HAH-ben ine hows
'Wir' means 'we'; 'haben' is the form for 'wir', 'sie' (they), and 'Sie' (formal you).
Sie hat eine Katze.
She has a cat.
zee haht INE-uh KAHT-tsuh
'Sie' means 'she'; 'hat' is the form for 'sie' (she). 'Eine' because 'Katze' is feminine.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The verb 'haben' changes its form depending on the subject. Here is the present tense conjugation: ich habe (I have), du hast (you have, informal), er/sie/es hat (he/she/it has), wir haben (we have), ihr habt (you have, plural informal), sie haben (they have), Sie haben (you have, formal). For example: 'Ich habe einen Bruder.' (I have a brother.) 'Ihr habt Zeit.' (You all have time.)
When to use it
Use 'haben' to express possession, relationships, and certain states. For instance, 'Ich habe ein Buch.' (I have a book.) 'Sie hat eine Schwester.' (She has a sister.) 'Wir haben Hunger.' (We are hungry, literally 'We have hunger'). In German, 'haben' is also used in many idiomatic expressions where English uses 'to be', such as 'Hunger haben' (to be hungry) or 'Angst haben' (to be afraid).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Hallo! Hast du ein Fahrrad?
Hello! Do you have a bicycle?hah-LOH! hahst doo ine FAHR-raht?Ja, ich habe ein Fahrrad. Und du?
Yes, I have a bicycle. And you?yah, ikh HAH-buh ine FAHR-raht. oont doo?Nein, ich habe kein Fahrrad, aber ich habe ein Auto.
No, I don't have a bicycle, but I have a car.nine, ikh HAH-buh kine FAHR-raht, AH-ber ikh HAH-buh ine OW-toh.Das ist gut. Meine Schwester hat auch ein Auto.
That's good. My sister also has a car.dahs ist goot. MY-nuh SHVES-ter haht owkh ine OW-toh.A little context goes a long way
In German, the formal 'Sie' (you) always takes the verb form 'haben', just like 'sie' (they). For example, 'Haben Sie Zeit?' (Do you have time?) is polite. In informal situations, use 'du hast' with friends, family, and peers. In southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, 'haben' is sometimes pronounced with a dropped 'e' in the first-person singular: 'ich hab' instead of 'ich habe'. This is acceptable in casual speech but avoid it in formal writing.
One thing to watch for
Using 'haben' for all subjects, e.g., 'Ich haben ein Auto' instead of 'Ich habe ein Auto'.
Try this instead: Remember that the verb form must match the subject. For 'ich', use 'habe'; for 'du', use 'hast'; for 'er/sie/es', use 'hat'; for 'wir/sie/Sie', use 'haben'; for 'ihr', use 'habt'. For example, 'Er hat ein Auto' is correct, not 'Er haben ein Auto'.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'We have a dog' in German?
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Wir haben einen Hund.
'Wir' takes the form 'haben'. 'Hund' is masculine, so the accusative article is 'einen'.
2Fill in the blank: 'Ihr ___ ein Haus.' (You all have a house.)
Show a sample answer
habt
'Ihr' (you all) takes the verb form 'habt'. So the complete sentence is 'Ihr habt ein Haus.'
3Translate: 'She has a cat.'
Show a sample answer
Sie hat eine Katze.
'Sie' (she) takes 'hat'. 'Katze' is feminine, so the article is 'eine'. Note: 'Sie' can also mean 'they' or formal 'you', but context clarifies.
Use 'haben' to express possession. Conjugate it correctly: ich habe, du hast, er/sie/es hat, wir haben, ihr habt, sie/Sie haben. Practice with everyday objects to master it.
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