🎓 Prepared by students from Boğaziçi University

What is the German Verb 'haben' in Present Tense?

The verb 'haben' (to have) is another essential German verb used to express possession, obligation, and perfect tenses. In the present tense, 'haben' follows a mostly regular pattern with slight irregularities.

Short answer

The German verb 'haben' (to have) in present tense conjugates as: ich habe (I have), du hast (you have), er/sie/es hat (he/she/it has), wir haben (we have), ihr habt (you have plural), sie haben (they have).

'Haben' Present Tense Conjugation

x: Personal Pronoun · y: Frequency (usage rate)

Step-by-step worked examples

Conjugate 'haben' for 'ich': 'Ich ___ einen Bruder' (I have a brother).

First-person singular nominative requires the 'ich' form of 'haben'.
The conjugation for 'ich' is 'habe'.
Answer: Ich habe einen Bruder.

Complete: 'Ihr ___ Hausaufgaben' (You plural have homework).

Second-person plural nominative requires the 'ihr' form of 'haben'.
The conjugation for 'ihr' is 'habt'.
Answer: Ihr habt Hausaufgaben.

Fill in: 'Sie ___ ein Auto' (She/They have a car).

Third-person singular/plural requires the form 'hat' or 'haben'.
For 'sie' (she) = 'hat'; for 'Sie' (formal you) or 'sie' (they) = 'haben'.
Answer: Sie hat ein Auto (or Sie haben ein Auto).

Flashcards

Quick quiz

Q1.Conjugate 'haben' for 'ich': 'Ich ___ ein Buch.'

Correct answer: C. First-person singular of 'haben' is 'ich habe'.

Q2.What is the 'du' (you) form of 'haben'?

Correct answer: B. Second-person singular: 'du hast'.

Q3.Conjugate 'haben' for 'er': 'Er ___ ein Fahrrad.'

Correct answer: C. Third-person singular: 'er hat'.

Q4.What is the 'wir' (we) form of 'haben'?

Correct answer: D. First-person plural: 'wir haben'.

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Common mistakes

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Confusing 'hast' and 'hat'. — Correct: 'Du hast' = you singular have; 'er/sie/es hat' = he/she/it has.

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Using 'habe' for all forms. — Correct: 'Haben' has six different conjugations—one for each pronoun or pronoun group.

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Forgetting the stem change from 'a' to 'a'. — Correct: The vowel remains stable: hab- is the base, with minor endings (e, st, t, en, t, en).

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Not recognizing that 'haben' forms perfect tenses. — Correct: 'Haben' + past participle creates Perfekt (present perfect), a crucial tense in German.

FAQ

What is the most common use of 'haben'?

'Haben' expresses possession (I have a book) and forms perfect tenses (I have gone).

How many conjugations does 'haben' have?

In present tense, 'haben' has six forms: habe, hast, hat, haben, habt, haben.

Is 'haben' irregular?

Mostly regular. The stem stays 'hab-', with regular endings. Only 'du hast' and 'er/sie/es hat' show minor vowel changes.

When is 'haben' used in perfect tense?

For most verbs, use 'haben' + past participle: 'Ich habe gespielt' (I have played).