A1 · Grammar
Have and have got
After this page you can say what you have with have and have got, ask about it and say what you don't have, with short answers.
Rules
1.
have and has
- I have a sister in Leeds.
- Tom has a new mobile phone.
- We have two cats.
- My flat has a small balcony.
Use have for things, family and pets. With he, she and it, the form is has.
have
- I, you, we, they → have: They have a big family.
- he, she, it → has: Anna has a car. The hotel has a pool.
he, she, it → has: Ben has a dog.
Age: I'm 25. (not: I have 25 years)
2.
have got and has got
- I've got a new laptop.
- Priya has got two children.
- We've got a meeting at ten.
- Marek's got a cold today.
Have got means the same as have. It is very common in British English, mostly when you speak. The short forms are 've got and 's got.
Short forms
- I have got → I've got · you've got · we've got · they've got
- he has got → he's got · she's got · it's got · Tom's got
's got = has got: She's got a car. = She has got a car.
With the short form, always say got: I've got a dog.
3.
Negatives: don't have, haven't got
- I don't have a car.
- Olga doesn't have a laptop.
- We haven't got a garden.
- My brother hasn't got a bike.
With have, use don't or doesn't. With have got, put not after have or has: haven't got, hasn't got.
Two negatives
- have → I don't have · he, she, it doesn't have
- have got → I haven't got · he, she, it hasn't got
- Long forms: do not have · does not have · have not got · has not got
After doesn't, say have, not has: She doesn't have a car.
Never mix them. Not: I don't have got a car.
4.
Questions and short answers
- Do you have a pen? – Yes, I do.
- Does Ahmed have a car? – No, he doesn't.
- Have you got a minute? – Yes, I have.
- Has your flat got a lift? – No, it hasn't.
Questions with have start with Do or Does. Questions with have got start with Have or Has. The short answer uses the same first word.
Question → short answer
- Do you have …? → Yes, I do. · No, I don't.
- Does she have …? → Yes, she does. · No, she doesn't.
- Have you got …? → Yes, I have. · No, I haven't.
- Has he got …? → Yes, he has. · No, he hasn't.
Both questions are polite and common. Use the one you like.
Do you have …? → Yes, I do. · Have you got …? → Yes, I have.
Not: Do you have got …?
5.
have breakfast, have a shower: no got
- I have breakfast at seven.
- Lucy has a shower after work.
- We have lunch in the office.
- Do you have a coffee break?
Have is also a verb for things you do: eat, drink, wash, relax. Here you cannot use got. Questions and negatives use do and does.
have + action
- have breakfast · have lunch · have dinner
- have a coffee · have a shower · have a break
- have a good time · have a party
This is the present simple. You learn more about it in another lesson.
I have breakfast at eight. (not: I've got breakfast)
We don't have lunch at home. (not: We haven't got lunch)
Find the exercises with instant feedback in the app.