het/hê
To Have: Het and Hê
het = have, has: Ek het 'n kat. Ons het tyd. hê = to have, at the end after a modal: Ek wil 'n hond hê.
How It Works
Present: het for everyone
Ek het 'n kat. Jy het 'n mooi huis. Ons het nie tyd nie. English have and has both become het.
Infinitive: hê
Use hê at the end of the clause:
- after a modal verb: Julle sal môre genoeg tyd hê. See Modal Verb Word Order.
- after gaan: Ons gaan baie pret hê.
- after om te: Dit is lekker om 'n tuin te hê.
To say that you want something, use wil ... hê: Ek wil 'n hond hê.
Two jobs for het
Het also forms the past tense with a ge- word: Ek het gewerk (I worked). See The Past Tense: Het + Ge-. The past of having is het ... gehad. See Had: Het ... Gehad.
Spelling
Hê is always written with a kappie. See The Kappie (Circumflex).
Examples (6)
- Ek het 'n kat en twee honde.
I have a cat and two dogs.
Word by Word: I have a cat and two dogs.
- Ons het nie tyd nie.
We don't have time.
Word by Word: We have not time not.
- Het jy 'n pen?
Do you have a pen?
Word by Word: Have you a pen?
The question puts het first, with no helper verb.
- Ek wil 'n hond hê.
I want a dog.
Word by Word: I want a dog have.
After wil, the infinitive hê goes to the end.
- Julle sal môre genoeg tyd hê.
You will have enough time tomorrow.
Word by Word: You will tomorrow enough time have.
- Dit is lekker om 'n tuin te hê.
It's nice to have a garden.
Word by Word: It is nice for a garden to have.
Hê also follows om te.
Common Mistakes
Using hê as a present-tense verb.
Ek hê 'n kar.Ek het 'n kar.In the present, to have is always het. Hê is only the infinitive.
Using het after a modal verb.
Ek wil 'n hond het.Ek wil 'n hond hê.After a modal verb, use the infinitive hê.
Putting hê straight after the modal, as in English.
Ek wil hê 'n hond.Ek wil 'n hond hê.The infinitive goes to the end of the clause, after the object.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Het is the present tense of hê, and it has the same form for every person.
Related Patterns
- is/weesTo Be: Is and Wees
Is and wees are the other present and infinitive pair that differ.
Level 1 - wil ... hêWanting Things: Wil ... Hê
Wil ... hê is the usual way to say you want something.
Level 1 - het + ge-The Past Tense: Het + Ge-
Het is also the helper verb for the past tense.
Level 2 - het ... gehadHad: Het ... Gehad
Het ... gehad is the past of having.
Level 2 - het ... nodigNeeding: Het ... Nodig
Het ... nodig uses het to say that you need something.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice het/hê in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Afrikaans lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
