Translation of Spanish word "haber" to English
haber
/aˈβeɾ/
Meaning
VerbAuxiliary verb used to form compound tenses; used impersonally as hay, it means there is or there are.
How to use
Haber ('there to be / to have') is primarily used as an auxiliary verb to form compound tenses (he cantado — I have sung), and in its impersonal form hay ('there is/are').
🇬🇧 English
there to be
Example
Los mayores habían pertenecido a la familia durante generaciones.
The elders had been in the family for generations.
Your personal vocabulary
🦊 Use this word in a live AI conversationCommon phrases
- hay que— one must / it is necessary
- puede haber— there may be
More Core Verbs words
📖 Related grammar
🦊 Conjugation of the verb "haber"Full conjugation →
Present Tense (Presente)
Simple Past (Pretérito Indefinido)
Perfect (Pretérito Perfecto)
he habido
Imperative (Imperativo)
Frequency rank: #372 in Spanish
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Spanish word "haber" mean?▼
The Spanish word "haber" means "there to be" in English.
How do you pronounce the Spanish word "haber"?▼
You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "haber" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.
Can I see an example sentence with "haber"?▼
Yes, here is a practical example: "Los mayores habían pertenecido a la familia durante generaciones." (which translates as "The elders had been in the family for generations.").
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