German word

haben

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈhaːbən/

Meaning

  • verbhave

Example

Ich habe ein Buch.

I have a book.

Illustration for haben (have)

More examples

Ich habe heute Hunger.

I am hungry today.

Core concept

Something is held by a person, either as a possession or as part of the person's present condition.

Common phrases

  • Hunger haben

    be hungry

  • Glück haben

    be lucky

  • Spaß haben

    have fun

Similar words

bekommen: To receive something from another person and thereby obtain it.
kriegen: To get something from another person in informal speech.
besitzen: To own something as personal property in a formal sense.

Definition in German

Besitz, Zugehörigkeit oder einen Zustand ausdrücken; als Vollverb 'haben' = besitzen, als Hilfsverb für das Perfekt gebraucht werden

Word origin

German haben continues Old High German habēn and is related to English have and Dutch hebben through a shared Germanic ancestor.

Usage tips

  • German uses haben in many states such as hunger, thirst, and time, where English often uses a different verb or adjective.

Other meanings

  • containverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word