"haben" Conjugation in the Present Tense - Learn German with Herr Antrim

In this beginner German lesson I explain the present tense conjugation and use of the verb “haben”.

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Present Tense Conjugation of “haben”

Let’s start with the conjugation of “haben” in the present tense.

haben – to have
ich habe – I have
du hast – you have
er, sie, es hat – he, she, it has
wir haben – we have
ihr habt – you have
sie, Sie haben – they, you have

“haben” with a Feminine, Neuter & Plural Direct Object

The verb “haben” always requires an object. The articles are the same as normal with feminine, neuter and plural nouns as objects.

Ich habe eine Tante.
I have an aunt.

Hast du eine Tochter?
Do you have a daughter?

Meine Mutter hat eine Schwester.
My mother has a sister.

Wir haben Eltern.
We have parents.

Habt ihr ein Kind?
Do you have a child?

Meine Großeltern haben Zwillinge.
My grandparents have twins.

Masculine Direct Objects with “haben”

If the object is a masculine noun, you need “den” for “the” and “einen” for “a” or “an”.

Ich habe einen Vater.
I have a father.

Hast du einen Sohn?
Do you have a son?

Mein Bruder hat einen Bruder… ich bin sein Bruder.
My brother has a brother… I am his brother.

Mein Vater hat Geschwister. Sie sind meine Tanten und Onkel.
My father has siblings. They are my aunts and uncles.

Wir haben einen Großvater und eine Großmutter.
We have a grandfather and a grandmother.

Habt ihr einen Neffen?
Do you have a nephew?
Side Note: The word “Neffe” (nephew) also requires an “N” at the end when it is the object of the sentence.

Meine Nichten haben einen Bruder.
My nieces have a brother.

Expressing Pain with “haben”

When some parts of your body hurt, you don’t need an article, because these pains (Schmerzen) are plural.

Ich habe Kopfschmerzen.
I have a headache.

Du hast Bauchschmerzen.
You have a stomach ache.

Er hat Halsschmerzen.
He has a sore throat.

Wir haben Zahnschmerzen.
We have a toothache.

Changing “to have” into “to like”

Add “gern” to the sentence to change “to have” into “to like”. If you like a sport, you don’t need an article.

Ich habe Fußball gern.
I like soccer.

Hast du Basketball gern?
Do you like basketball?

Sie hat Baseball gern.
She likes baseball.

Wir haben Tennis gern.
We like tennis.

Habt ihr Golf gern?
Do you like golf?

Die Kinder haben Handball gern.
The children like handball.

“gern” with Other Verbs

You can add “gern” with other verbs to change it from the original verb to liking to do that action. Some people add an “E” to the end of “gern”. This does not change the meaning.

Ich spiele gern Schach.
I like to play chess.

Tanzt du gerne?
Do you like to dance?

Meine Schwester schaukelt gern.
My sister likes to swing.

Wir essen gerne.
We like to eat.

Arbeitet ihr gern?
Do you like to work?

Meine Großeltern erzählen gerne Geschichten.
My grandparents like to tell stories.

Present Tense of “haben” Conjugation Mnemonic

If you are looking for a great way to remember the present tense conjugation of “haben”, you can sing the conjugation to the tune of “Ode an die Freude” (Ode to Joy). You can see that in the video below.

haben – to have
ich habe – I have
du hast – you have
er, sie, es hat – he, she, it has
wir haben – we have
ihr habt – you have
sie, Sie haben – they, you have

Beginner German with Herr Antrim

Herr Antrim’s new e-book “Beginner German with Herr Antrim“ is your guide to having your first conversation in German. Within the e-book, each lesson includes a worksheet and answer key to practice the skills in that lesson. You will also get access to online flashcards and a whole lot more. Find out more about the e-book here.