haben Conjugation: The German Verb 'to have'
After this lesson you can say what you have, and use the haben phrases where English says “I am”.
Do this first: Personal pronouns
haben Conjugation: The German Verb 'to have'
haben means "to have", and German uses it for things English says you ARE: hunger, thirst, fear, luck. It is also the helper that builds the past tense later on.
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Kulturnotiz
Ich habe Recht — “I am right” — is worth knowing early, and so is the softer Da hast du Recht (“you have a point there”). German conversation tends to concede a point explicitly rather than letting it pass, and that phrase is the standard way to do it.
Common questions
+Why is it du hast and not du habst?
Sound change, worn smooth by heavy use. The b dropped out of the du and er/sie/es forms centuries ago because those forms are said constantly. The other four forms kept it.
+Should I say Ich habe Hunger or Ich bin hungrig?
Both are correct German, but Ich habe Hunger is far more common in speech. Use it as your default and keep hungrig for writing or emphasis.
+Why is age Ich bin 30 and not Ich habe 30?
German uses sein for age, like English. French, Spanish and Italian use “have”, which is why speakers of those languages so often produce Ich habe 30 Jahre.
+When is haben used for the past?
For most verbs: Ich habe gegessen, “I ate”. Verbs of motion and change of state take sein instead — Ich bin gegangen. Lesson 29 covers which is which.