Overview
Haben is one of the most important and frequently used verbs in German. It means to have and is used to indicate possession, relationships, and as an auxiliary verb for perfect tenses. Unlike English, where "have" mostly serves for possession, in German, haben is also vital for forming the present perfect (Perfekt) tense, paired with past participles.
Usage
Haben is used to express possession as in "I have a book" (Ich habe ein Buch). It also appears in many expressions related to states or conditions such as "to be hungry" (Haben Hunger) or "having to do something" (etwas haben zu tun). When used as an auxiliary verb, it combines with the past participle to communicate actions completed in the past, e.g., Ich habe gegessen (I have eaten).
Conjugations
The verb haben is irregular and its stem changes in some forms, especially in the present tense. Below is its conjugation with examples:
| German Pronoun | German Conjugation | English Conjugation | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | habe | have | Ich habe ein Auto. | I have a car. |
| du | hast | have (you) | Du hast viele Bücher. | You have many books. |
| er/sie/es | hat | has | Sie hat Hunger. | She has hunger. / She is hungry. |
| wir | haben | have | Wir haben Zeit. | We have time. |
| ihr | habt | have (you all) | Ihr habt ein Problem. | You all have a problem. |
| sie/Sie | haben | have (they/you) | Sie haben Glück. | They have luck. / You (formal) have luck. |
Important Notes
- The formal Sie shares the same conjugation as sie (they), so context determines meaning.
- In past tense perfect construction, haben combines with the past participle of the main verb, e.g., "Ich habe gemacht" (I have done).
- Some verbs use sein as auxiliary instead of haben, but that's a separate topic.
Understanding haben is essential for mastering German grammar and conversation.
