German · Everyday Verbs
"to have" in German: haben
haben
To have in German is haben. Present forms include ich habe and du hast. Ages usually use sein, not haben: Ich bin 20. As an auxiliary, haben builds many perfect tenses.
Possessions
Haben wir heute Abend Zeit?Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce haben
Say it
HAH-ben
/ˈhaːbn̩/
HAH-ben. Longish a as in "father". The b is clear, and -en is a soft en. Stress the first syllable.
"to have" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| haben | to have Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| ich habe / du hast / er hat | I/you/he have/has Core present forms. | Core present forms. |
| gehabt | had Past participle. | Past participle. |
| Hunger haben | to be hungry Fixed: Ich habe Hunger. | Fixed: Ich habe Hunger. |
How to use haben in real life
- 1Possessions
Haben wir heute Abend Zeit?
Do we have time this evening?
Haben is the wir form of haben.
- 2At a café
Ich habe Hunger und möchte einen Tee.
I'm hungry and would like a tea.
Habe is the ich form of haben.
- 3Talking about hunger
Wir haben großen Hunger.
We are very hungry.
Hunger haben is the set phrase, not "sein hungry".
Mistakes English speakers make with haben
Incorrect: Ich habe 25 Jahre.
Correct: Ich bin 25 Jahre alt.
Age uses sein, not haben.
Incorrect: Ich hab Hunger. (in formal writing without apostrophe care)
Correct: Ich habe Hunger.
Hab is fine in casual chat; full habe is clearer for learners and formal writing.
Good to know
Germans use haben in many body-state phrases English builds with to be: Hunger haben, Durst haben, Angst haben. Learning those chunks early stops word-for-word translation errors.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Packing for a day trip
ChatPal
Hast du die Tickets?
Do you have the tickets?
You
Ja, ich habe sie auf dem Handy.
Yes, I have them on my phone.
ChatPal
Super. Habt ihr auch Wasser?
Great. Do you lot also have water?
You
Klar, wir haben zwei Flaschen dabei.
Sure, we have two bottles with us.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to have" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to have" in German
What are the present forms of haben?
Ich habe, du hast, er/sie/es hat, wir haben, ihr habt, sie haben.
Do you say age with haben?
No. Use sein: Ich bin 30 Jahre alt.
Why is hätte gern so common?
It is a polite "I would like". Cafés and shops hear it all day.
Is haben only for possession?
No. It also helps form the perfect: Ich habe gegessen.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
