What does haber mean?
haber means to hold, to possess in English. It is a irregular -er verb.
It can also be used with these related meanings: to exist; there be; “there is”, “there are” (hay); “there was”, “there were” (hubo/había); to have to.
Spanish verb guide
Haber Conjugation in Spanish
Learn haber, meaning to hold, to possess, through verified forms and contextual examples.
irregular-ergerund: habiendoparticiple: habido
Principal forms of haber
- Infinitive
- haber
- Gerund
- habiendo
- Past participle
- habido
Haber conjugation table
Compare the present, preterite, imperfect, and future forms. Reflexive pronouns are included where the verb requires them.
| Pronoun | Present | Preterite | Imperfect | Future |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | he | hube | había | habré |
| tú | has | hubiste | habías | habrás |
| él / ella / usted | ha | hubo | había | habrá |
| nosotros/as | hemos | hubimos | habíamos | habremos |
| ellos/as / ustedes | han | hubieron | habían | habrán |
Pattern notes
- Its forms differ from a fully regular -er pattern in the present, preterite, future.
Examples with haber
Se ha ido la luz.The power went out.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
No hay un plan B.There is no plan B.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Yo no lo he hecho.I didn't do it.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Practice prompts
- Conjugate haber for yo in the present.
- Use the preterite form for ella.
- Say the nosotros/as imperfect form.
- Write a short sentence in the future.
Practice haber online
Use VerbyGo for a quick conjugation round with instant feedback and accent checking.