Translation of German word "haben" to English
haben
/haːbn̩/
Meaning
VerbTo possess, own.
How to use
haben ('to have') is one of the two core auxiliary verbs in German. Besides showing possession, it forms the perfect tense of most verbs (Ich habe gegessen — I have eaten). It is irregular: ich habe, du hast, er hat, wir haben.
🇬🇧 English
to have
Example
Schauen Sie, was ich hier habe – einen Frosch, den ich auf der Straße gefunden habe!
Look what I have here - a frog I found on the street!
Der Herd hat einen Griff. Das Hemd hat Ärmel.
The stove has a handle. The shirt has sleeves.
Your personal vocabulary
🦊 Use this word in a live AI conversationSynonyms
Common phrases
- Zeit haben— to have time
- Recht haben— to be right
- Hunger haben— to be hungry
- Angst haben— to be afraid
This concept in other languages
📖 Related grammar
🦊 Conjugation of the verb "haben"Full conjugation →
Present Tense (Präsens)
Simple Past (Präteritum)
Perfect (Perfekt)
ich habe gehabt
Imperative (Imperativ)
Frequency rank: #152 in German
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the definition of the German word "haben"?▼
The German word "haben" is defined as: "To possess, own."
What does the German word "haben" mean?▼
The German word "haben" means "to have" in English.
How do you pronounce the German word "haben"?▼
You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "haben" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.
Can I see an example sentence with "haben"?▼
Yes, here is a practical example: "Ich habe ein Auto." (which translates as "Look what I have here - a frog I found on the street!").
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