Have Something Done
[B1] Learn how to use have something done and get something done in English. This module covers the causative constructions, their forms, meanings, and common usage mistakes.
Core meaning
“Have something done” and “get something done” use a causative structure: you arrange for another person to do a service for you, and you focus on the result, not on who does it. The pattern is common for paid services, repairs, and professional help. It does not mean you personally do the action.
“Have something done” y “get something done” utilizan una estructura causativa: tú organizas que otra persona realice un servicio para ti, y te concentras en el resultado, no en quién lo hace. El patrón es común para servicios pagados, reparaciones y ayuda profesional. No significa que hagas tú la acción personalmente.
Opción múltiple
Which sentence shows that you arranged for someone else to do the work (causative), not that you did it yourself?
Basic form
Use: have or get + object + past participle. The object is the thing or person affected, and the past participle describes the completed service. This structure is different from simple active verbs because the performer is usually not mentioned.
Usa: have o get + object + past participle. El objeto es la cosa o persona afectada, y el participio pasado describe el servicio completado. Esta estructura es diferente de los verbos activos simples porque el ejecutor generalmente no se menciona.
Rule | 🇪🇸 Español Regla | Example | 🇪🇸 Español Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|---|
 have|get + object + past participle | 🧩 have|get + object + past participle | I had my car repaired. | 🧩 I had my car repaired. |
| Object is the affected thing, not the doer | 🧩 Object is the affected thing, not the doer | She got her hair cut. | 🧩 She got her hair cut. |
| You can add the doer with by if needed | 🧩 You can add the doer with by if needed | We had the documents translated by a professional. | 🧩 We had the documents translated by a professional. |
Have vs get
“Have” is neutral and slightly more formal. “Get” is more conversational and often suggests you made an effort to arrange it or that it took some work. In most everyday contexts, both are acceptable and interchangeable.
“Have” es neutral y ligeramente más formal. “Get” es más conversacional y, a menudo, sugiere que hiciste un esfuerzo para arreglarlo o que llevó algo de trabajo. En la mayoría de contextos cotidianos, ambos son aceptables e intercambiables.
Rule | 🇪🇸 Español Regla | Example | 🇪🇸 Español Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use have for neutral, planned services | 🧩 Use have for neutral, planned services | I’m having the kitchen painted next week. | 🧩 I’m having the kitchen painted next week. |
| Use get for informal tone and practical effort | 🧩 Use get for informal tone and practical effort | I finally got the sink fixed. | 🧩 I finally got the sink fixed. |
| Both can describe the same service with small tone change | 🧩 Both can describe the same service with small tone change | She had her eyes tested. / She got her eyes tested. | 🧩 She had her eyes tested. / She got her eyes tested. |
Tense and time
Conjugate have or get for tense and time. The past participle stays the same because it describes the service result. You can combine this structure with future plans, present arrangements, and past events.
Conjuga have o get para el tiempo y la temporalidad. El participio pasado se mantiene igual porque describe el resultado del servicio. Puedes combinar esta estructura con planes futuros, arreglos presentes y eventos pasados.
Rule | 🇪🇸 Español Regla | Example | 🇪🇸 Español Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present arrangement | 🧩 Present arrangement | I’m having my laptop checked today. | 🧩 I’m having my laptop checked today. |
| Past completed service | 🧩 Past completed service | He got his passport renewed last month. | 🧩 He got his passport renewed last month. |
| Future plan with will | 🧩 Future plan with will | We’ll have the roof inspected soon. | 🧩 We’ll have the roof inspected soon. |
| Present perfect for experience or recent result | 🧩 Present perfect for experience or recent result | I’ve had my teeth cleaned this year. | 🧩 I’ve had my teeth cleaned this year. |
Opción múltiple
Choose the correct form for a future plan: "Tomorrow we ___ the chimney inspected."
Questions and negatives
Make questions and negatives by using do-support or the correct auxiliary for the tense. The causative structure stays the same after have or get. This is useful for checking arrangements, confirming results, and clarifying responsibility.
Haz preguntas y negaciones usando el soporte de do o el auxiliar correcto para el tiempo. La estructura causativa permanece igual tras have o get. Esto es útil para verificar arreglos, confirmar resultados y aclarar la responsabilidad.
Rule | 🇪🇸 Español Regla | Example | 🇪🇸 Español Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present simple question with do | 🧩 Present simple question with do | Do you get your hair cut here? | 🧩 Do you get your hair cut here? |
| Present simple negative with do not | 🧩 Present simple negative with do not | I don’t have my shirts dry-cleaned. | 🧩 I don’t have my shirts dry-cleaned. |
| Past simple question with did | 🧩 Past simple question with did | Did you have the car serviced? | 🧩 Did you have the car serviced? |
| With be as auxiliary | 🧩 With be as auxiliary | Are you having the package delivered today? | 🧩 Are you having the package delivered today? |
Adding the agent
Usually, the person who does the work is unimportant or understood, so you omit them. If you need to specify who performed the service, add “by + agent.” If you need to specify who you arranged it with, you can also add “at + place” or “with + provider.”
Por lo general, la persona que realiza el trabajo es poco importante o se sobreentiende, por lo que la omites. Si necesitas especificar quién realizó el servicio, añade “by + agente.” Si necesitas especificar con quién lo organizaste, también puedes añadir “at + lugar” o “with + proveedor.”
Rule | 🇪🇸 Español Regla | Example | 🇪🇸 Español Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specify the doer with by | 🧩 Specify the doer with by | They had the contract reviewed by a lawyer. | 🧩 They had the contract reviewed by a lawyer. |
| Specify the provider with with | 🧩 Specify the provider with with | I got my phone repaired with a local technician. | 🧩 I got my phone repaired with a local technician. |
| Specify the location with at | 🧩 Specify the location with at | We had our photos printed at the pharmacy. | 🧩 We had our photos printed at the pharmacy. |
Passive feeling
This structure can sound similar to the passive because the focus is on the object and the result. The key difference is that “have/get something done” includes the idea of arranging or causing the action, not just that it happened. This helps you communicate responsibility for organizing the service.
Esta estructura puede sonar similar a la pasiva porque el enfoque está en el objeto y el resultado. La diferencia clave es que “have/get something done” incluye la idea de organizar o provocar la acción, no solo que haya ocurrido. Esto te ayuda a comunicar la responsabilidad de organizar el servicio.
Rule | 🇪🇸 Español Regla | Example | 🇪🇸 Español Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passive describes what happened | 🧩 Passive describes what happened | My car was repaired yesterday. | 🧩 My car was repaired yesterday. |
| Causative shows you arranged it | 🧩 Causative shows you arranged it | I had my car repaired yesterday. | 🧩 I had my car repaired yesterday. |
| You can use both when needed | 🧩 You can use both when needed | The door was fixed, but we had it fixed by a specialist. | 🧩 The door was fixed, but we had it fixed by a specialist. |
Opción múltiple
Which sentence emphasizes that someone arranged the repair (causative) rather than just describing what happened (passive)?
Unwanted events
“Get something done” can also describe an unpleasant or unexpected event that happens to you, often when someone does something to you without your permission. “Have something done” can be used this way too, but it is less common; it more strongly suggests you arranged it. Context and tone are important here.
“Get something done” también puede describir un evento desagradable o inesperado que te ocurre, a menudo cuando alguien hace algo contigo sin tu permiso. “Have something done” también puede usarse así, pero es menos común; enfatiza más que tú lo organizaste. El contexto y el tono son importantes aquí.
Rule | 🇪🇸 Español Regla | Example | 🇪🇸 Español Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get + object + past participle for unwanted experience | 🧩 Get + object + past participle for unwanted experience | He got his wallet stolen. | 🧩 He got his wallet stolen. |
| Get can highlight the negative impact on you | 🧩 Get can highlight the negative impact on you | She got her phone taken on the train. | 🧩 She got her phone taken on the train. |
| Have usually implies you caused it, so use carefully | 🧩 Have usually implies you caused it, so use carefully | He had his wallet stolen. | 🧩 He had his wallet stolen. |
Opción múltiple
Which sentence most likely describes an unpleasant event that happened to someone (not a service they arranged)?
Common contexts
These structures are especially common for services where you normally hire or ask someone else to do the work. The object is often something you own, your body, or official documents. Learning typical contexts makes the structure feel natural in conversation.
Estas estructuras son especialmente comunes para servicios donde normalmente contratas o pides que alguien más haga el trabajo. El objeto suele ser algo que posees, tu cuerpo u documentos oficiales. Aprender contextos típicos ayuda a que la estructura suene natural en la conversación.
Word/Phrase | 🇪🇸 Español Palabra/Frase | Definition | 🇪🇸 Español Definición | Example | 🇪🇸 Español Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| have|get your hair cut | 🧩 have|get your hair cut | arrange a haircut service | 🧩 arrange a haircut service | I get my hair cut every month. | 🧩 I get my hair cut every month. |
| have|get your car serviced | 🧩 have|get your car serviced | arrange routine maintenance | 🧩 arrange routine maintenance | We had the car serviced before the trip. | 🧩 We had the car serviced before the trip. |
| have|get something repaired | 🧩 have|get something repaired | arrange a fix for a problem | 🧩 arrange a fix for a problem | She got the heater repaired. | 🧩 She got the heater repaired. |
| have|get documents translated | 🧩 have|get documents translated | arrange translation by someone else | 🧩 arrange translation by someone else | I had the certificate translated. | 🧩 I had the certificate translated. |
| have|get something delivered | 🧩 have|get something delivered | arrange delivery to a place | 🧩 arrange delivery to a place | They’re having a sofa delivered. | 🧩 They’re having a sofa delivered. |
Opción múltiple
Which of these is the most natural context to use have/get + object + past participle?
Meaning contrast
Do not confuse this structure with “have something to do” or “get something done” meaning finish a task yourself. “Have/get something done” is about a service done by another person, while “get something done” can also mean achieve or complete work. Use context to make your meaning clear.
No confundas esta estructura con “have something to do” o “get something done” que significan terminar una tarea tú mismo. “Have/get something done” se refiere a un servicio realizado por otra persona, mientras que “get something done” también puede significar lograr o completar un trabajo. Usa el contexto para aclarar tu significado.
Rule | 🇪🇸 Español Regla | Example | 🇪🇸 Español Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service arranged for you | 🧩 Service arranged for you | I had my watch repaired. | 🧩 I had my watch repaired. |
| Complete a task yourself | 🧩 Complete a task yourself | I need to get my report done today. | 🧩 I need to get my report done today. |
| Obligation or plan with have to | 🧩 Obligation or plan with have to | I have some calls to make. | 🧩 I have some calls to make. |
