Introduction: Possession and More

Alongside 'zijn' (to be), the verb 'hebben' (to have) is another cornerstone of the Dutch language. It's primarily used to indicate possession but also appears in common expressions (like feeling hungry or thirsty) and acts as a crucial auxiliary verb in forming perfect tenses (which you'll learn later). Like 'zijn', 'hebben' is irregular, so its present tense forms need to be memorized.

Present Tense Conjugation of 'hebben'

Here are the present tense forms:

• ik heb = I have
• jij hebt = you have (singular, informal)
• u hebt / heeft = you have (singular or plural, formal)
• hij heeft = he has
• zij heeft = she has
• het heeft = it has
• wij hebben = we have
• jullie hebben = you have (plural, informal)
• zij hebben = they have

Key Observations:

• The ik form is heb.
• The informal jij form adds a -t: hebt.
• The formal u can take hebt or heeft. Both are common, but heeft might be considered slightly more traditional or standard, especially in written Dutch. Using hebt for u is very common in speech.
• hij, zij (she), and het all use heeft.
• wij, jullie, and zij (they) all use the infinitive form: hebben.

Common Uses of 'hebben'

1. Possession: Indicating ownership or that someone possesses something.

• Ik heb een auto. (I have a car.)
• Jij hebt een mooie fiets. (You have a nice bicycle. - informal)
• Hij heeft twee zussen. (He has two sisters.)
• Hebben jullie kinderen? (Do you have children? - plural informal)

1. Fixed Expressions: 'Hebben' is used in many common idiomatic expressions, particularly related to physical states or feelings.

• Ik heb honger. (I am hungry. - Literally: I have hunger.)
• Zij heeft dorst. (She is thirsty. - Literally: She has thirst.)
• Wij hebben geluk. (We are lucky. - Literally: We have luck.)
• Heb je het koud? (Are you cold? - Literally: Do you have it cold? - informal)
• Heeft u het warm? (Are you warm? - Literally: Do you have it warm? - formal)
• Hij heeft pijn. (He is in pain. - Literally: He has pain.)
• Ik heb zin in koffie. (I feel like having coffee. / I fancy a coffee.)

1. Auxiliary Verb: 'Hebben' (and sometimes 'zijn') is used to form compound tenses like the present perfect, which describes completed actions. You'll study this in more detail later.

• Example Preview: Ik heb gewerkt. (I have worked / I worked.)

Practice Makes Perfect

Memorize the conjugations of hebben. Practice using it to talk about things you possess and to use common expressions like honger hebben and dorst hebben.