Have and Have Got
Possession, Expressions & the Key Differences — Complete Guide
Have et Have Got
Possession, Expressions & Différences Clés — Guide Complet
When to use have vs have got, the key expressions that only use have, how to form questions and negatives, and why I'm having a shower is correct but I'm having a car is not
Quand utiliser have ou have got, les expressions qui n'admettent que have, la formation des questions et des négations, et pourquoi I'm having a shower est correct mais pas I'm having a car
Have and have got are two of the most common verbs in English — and one of the most common sources of confusion. The key is to separate two completely different uses: have/have got for possession, relationships and states (where they mean the same thing), and have alone for actions and experiences like have breakfast or have a shower (where have got is not possible).
Have et have got sont parmi les verbes les plus courants en anglais — et l'une des sources de confusion les plus fréquentes. La clé est de séparer deux usages : have/have got pour la possession, les relations et les états (où ils sont interchangeables), et have seul pour les actions et expériences comme have breakfast ou have a shower (où have got est impossible).
Have / Have Got — Possession, Relationships, Illnesses, Appointments
Have / Have Got — Possession, Relations, Maladies, Rendez-vous
For possession, relationships, illnesses, characteristics and similar states, you can use either have or have got. There is no difference in meaning.
Pour la possession, les relations, les maladies, les caractéristiques et états similaires, vous pouvez utiliser have ou have got. Il n'y a aucune différence de sens.
have
have got
Questions and Negatives — Three Possible Forms
Questions et Négations — Trois Formes Possibles
In the present, there are three equivalent forms for questions and negatives (the third is less usual in everyday speech):
Au présent, il existe trois formes équivalentes pour les questions et les négations (la troisième est moins courante) :
| Type | Question | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| do/does | Do you have any questions? Does she have a car? | I don't have any questions. She doesn't have a car. |
| have got | Have you got any questions? Has she got a car? | I haven't got any questions. She hasn't got a car. |
| less usual | Have you any questions? Has she a car? | I haven't any questions. She hasn't a car. |
Have Breakfast / Have a Shower / Have a Good Time — Expressions with Have Only
Have Breakfast / Have a Shower / Have a Good Time — Expressions avec Have Uniquement
We also use have (but not have got) for things we do or experience. These are actions and events — not states of possession.
On utilise aussi have (mais pas have got) pour les choses que l'on fait ou vit. Ce sont des actions et des événements — pas des états de possession.
Continuous ✓ (actions)
Forme continue ✓ (actions)
Questions & negatives → do/does/did
Questions & négations → do/does/did
Exercise 1 — Complete the sentences using have in the correct form
Exercice 1 — Complétez les phrases en utilisant have à la bonne forme
Use do/does/did for questions and negatives where required.
Utilisez do/does/did pour les questions et négations si nécessaire.
Exercise 2 — Are the underlined words OK? Write OK or the correct form
Exercice 2 — Les mots soulignés sont-ils corrects ? Écrivez OK ou la forme correcte
Correct any errors in the underlined verb forms.
Corrigez les erreurs dans les formes verbales soulignées.
Exercise 3 — Complete using an expression with have (correct form)
Exercice 3 — Complétez avec une expression avec have (forme correcte)
Choose from: have a baby · have a break · have a chat · have trouble · have a shower · have a look · have lunch · have a party · have a nice time · have a holiday
Choisissez parmi : have a baby · have a break · have a chat · have trouble · have a shower · have a look · have lunch · have a party · have a nice time · have a holiday
Exercise 4 — Have or have got? Choose the correct or better option
Exercice 4 — Have ou have got ? Choisissez l'option correcte ou meilleure
Write the correct form — both may sometimes be possible, but one is better.
Écrivez la forme correcte — les deux peuvent parfois être possibles, mais l'une est meilleure.
Frequently Asked Questions — Have and Have Got
Questions fréquentes — Have et Have Got
For possession, relationships, illnesses and similar states, there is no difference in meaning. Both are correct: I have a car = I've got a car. In British English have got is very common in informal speech. In American English, have is generally preferred. For the past, only had is used: She had long hair (not she had got).
Pour la possession, les relations et les maladies, il n'y a aucune différence de sens. Les deux sont corrects. Au passé, on n'utilise que had.
Have got is not possible with action/experience expressions: have breakfast, have a shower, have a good time, have a chat etc. These describe things you do, not states you are in. Say I had a great time (NOT I had got a great time). Also, have got is not used in the past: say she had blue eyes, not she had got blue eyes.
Have got est impossible avec les expressions d'actions/expériences : have breakfast, have a shower, etc. Ces expressions décrivent ce qu'on fait, pas des états. De plus, have got ne s'utilise pas au passé.
No. A headache is a state (possession/condition), not an action. With states, never use the continuous: I have a headache or I've got a headache. Compare with an action: I'm having a shower ✓ (you are doing it right now), but I'm having a cold ✗ (a cold is a state, not an action).
Non. Un mal de tête est un état, pas une action. Avec les états, n'utilisez pas la forme continue : I have a headache ou I've got a headache.
Always use did/didn't in the past — not had/hadn't: Did you have a car? ✓ (NOT Had you a car?), I didn't have my phone ✓ (NOT I hadn't my phone). The tag question also uses did/didn't: She had long hair, didn't she?
Toujours utiliser did/didn't au passé — pas had/hadn't : Did you have a car? ✓, I didn't have my phone ✓.
Yes! For action expressions, the continuous is perfectly fine: We're having a great time · He's having a shower · They're having a party. This works because these describe ongoing actions. The continuous is never used for possession: We've got / we have a nice room (NOT we're having a nice room).
Oui ! Pour les expressions d'action, la forme continue est tout à fait correcte : We're having a great time. Elle ne s'utilise jamais pour la possession.
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