Have and Have Got for Possession
Learn to use have and have got for possessions, family and appearance, with clear present-tense statements, negatives, questions and short answers.
Use have and have got to talk about your things, family and appearance. Learn to make statements, negatives and questions, and to give short answers.
Two ways to say the same thing
For possession, have and have got mean the same thing.
- I have a bike. = I have got a bike.
- She has two brothers. = She has got two brothers.
- He has blue eyes. = He has got blue eyes.
Use these forms for:
- Things: We have a car.
- Family: I have a sister.
- Appearance: She has long hair.
Both forms are correct. Have got is especially common in spoken British English. Have is common in both British and American English. Here, both forms describe the present.
Make positive statements
Use have with I, you, we and they. Use has with he, she and it.
| Subject | Have | Have got |
|---|---|---|
| I / you / we / they | have a bike | have got a bike |
| He / she | has a bike | has got a bike |
| It | has four wheels | has got four wheels |
A name or one person also takes has: Anna has a bike. Two or more people take have: Anna and Ben have a car.
We often use short forms with have got:
| Full form | Short form |
|---|---|
| I have got | I've got |
| You have got | You've got |
| He has got | He's got |
| She has got | She's got |
| It has got | It's got |
| We have got | We've got |
| They have got | They've got |
I**'ve got** a new phone.
She**'s got** a red bag.
Our flat has two bedrooms.
In She's got a bike, 's means has, not is.
Make negative statements
The two forms use different negative patterns.
| Subject | With have | With have got |
|---|---|---|
| I / you / we / they | don't have a car | haven't got a car |
| He / she / it | doesn't have a car | hasn't got a car |
The full forms are do not, does not, have not and has not.
I don't have a car. = I haven't got a car.
Ben doesn't have a sister. = Ben hasn't got a sister.
After doesn't, use have, not has.
✓ She doesn't have a bike.
✗ She doesn't has a bike.
Do not mix the two patterns:
✓ She hasn't got a bike.
✗ She doesn't have got a bike.
Quick check
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Ask questions
With have, put do or does before the subject. With have got, put have or has before the subject.
| Subject | With have | With have got |
|---|---|---|
| I / you / we / they | Do you have a car? | Have you got a car? |
| He / she / it | Does she have a car? | Has she got a car? |
The questions show you and she. Use the same patterns with the other subjects in each row.
Do they have a dog? = Have they got a dog?
Does Tom have a phone? = Has Tom got a phone?
Remember: after does, use have, not has.
Give short answers
Use the word that starts the question: do, does, have or has. Do not include got in a short answer.
| Question | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Do you have a bike? | Yes, I do. | No, I don't. |
| Does she have a bike? | Yes, she does. | No, she doesn't. |
| Have you got a bike? | Yes, I have. | No, I haven't. |
| Has she got a bike? | Yes, she has. | No, she hasn't. |
Do not use I've or she's alone in a positive short answer.
✓ Yes, I have.
✗ Yes, I've.
Remember the two patterns
- Have: I have a dog. I don't have a cat. Do you have a pet?
- Have got: I**'ve got** a dog. I haven't got a cat. Have you got a pet?
- With he, she, it, use has, but use have after does or doesn't.
- Match your short answer to the question: Do → do, Does → does, Have → have, Has → has.
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Last updated October 14, 2026