“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.

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.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
have|get + object + past participle	🧩 have|get + 宾语 + 过去分词	I had my car repaired.	🧩 我让我的车修好了。
Object is the affected thing, not the doer	🧩 宾语是受影响的事物，而非执行者	She got her hair cut.	🧩 她把头发剪了。
You can add the doer with by if needed	🧩 如有需要，可以用 by 指明执行者	We had the documents translated by a professional.	🧩 我们请专业人士把文件翻译好了。

“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.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
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.

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.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Present arrangement	🧩 现在的安排	I’m having my laptop checked today.	🧩 I’m having my laptop checked today.
Past completed service	🧩 过去完成的服务	He got his passport renewed last month.	🧩 He got his passport renewed last month.
Future plan with will	🧩 将来计划使用 will	We’ll have the roof inspected soon.	🧩 We’ll have the roof inspected soon.
Present perfect for experience or recent result	🧩 现在完成时用于经历或最近结果	I’ve had my teeth cleaned this year.	🧩 I’ve had my teeth cleaned this year.

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.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Present simple question with do	🧩 现在时的一般疑问，使用 do	Do you get your hair cut here?	🧩 Do you get your hair cut here?
Present simple negative with do not	🧩 现在时的一般否定，使用 do not	I don’t have my shirts dry-cleaned.	🧩 I don’t have my shirts dry-cleaned.
Past simple question with did	🧩 过去时的一般疑问，使用 did	Did you have the car serviced?	🧩 Did you have the car serviced?
With be as auxiliary	🧩 将来时作辅助动词 be	Are you having the package delivered today?	🧩 Are you having the package delivered today?

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.”

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Specify the doer with by	🧩 用 by 指明执行者	They had the contract reviewed by a lawyer.	🧩 They had the contract reviewed by a lawyer.
Specify the provider with with	🧩 用 with 指明提供者	I got my phone repaired with a local technician.	🧩 I got my phone repaired with a local technician.
Specify the location with at	🧩 用 at 指明地点	We had our photos printed at the pharmacy.	🧩 We had our photos printed at the pharmacy.

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.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Passive describes what happened	🧩 被动描述发生了什么	My car was repaired yesterday.	🧩 My car was repaired yesterday.
Causative shows you arranged it	🧩 致使结构表示你已安排	I had my car repaired yesterday.	🧩 I had my car repaired yesterday.
You can use both when needed	🧩 需要时两者均可使用	The door was fixed, but we had it fixed by a specialist.	🧩 The door was fixed, but we had it fixed by a specialist.

“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.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
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.

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.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 单词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
have|get your hair cut	🧩 have|get your hair cut	arrange a haircut service	🧩 安排理发服务	I get my hair cut every month.	🧩 我每个月都去剪头发。
have|get your car serviced	🧩 have|get your car serviced	arrange routine maintenance	🧩 安排日常维护	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	🧩 安排修复某个问题	She got the heater repaired.	🧩 She got the heater repaired.
have|get documents translated	🧩 have|get documents translated	arrange translation by someone else	🧩 安排他人翻译	I had the certificate translated.	🧩 I had the certificate translated.
have|get something delivered	🧩 have|get something delivered	arrange delivery to a place	🧩 安排送达某处	They’re having a sofa delivered.	🧩 They’re having a sofa delivered.

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.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Service arranged for you	🧩 为你安排的服务	I had my watch repaired.	🧩 I had my watch repaired.
Complete a task yourself	🧩 自行完成任务	I need to get my report done today.	🧩 I need to get my report done today.
Obligation or plan with have to	🧩 具有义务或计划的 have to	I have some calls to make.	🧩 I have some calls to make.