hafa + Supine

The Perfect (Hef Talað)

Level 2

The perfect is hafa + supine: Ég hef komið til Íslands (I have been to Iceland).

How It Works

Forming the perfect. Use the present of hafa (hef, hefur, hefur, höfum, hafið, hafa) and the supine of the main verb. hafa is the finite verb, so it takes second place (the verb comes second) and the supine goes to the end of the verb group:

  • Ég hef lesið bókina. (I have read the book.)
  • Hefurðu séð myndina? (Have you seen the film?)
  • Ég hef ekki séð hana. (I haven't seen her.) ekki and words like aldrei come between hafa and the supine.

When to use it.

  • Experiences, often with aldrei, oft or einu sinni: Ég hef aldrei smakkað hákarl.
  • Something that started in the past and continues now, with a length of time: Við höfum búið hér í tvö ár (We have lived here for two years).
  • A past action whose result matters now: Hún hefur ekki lesið bókina.

When not to use it. A finished point in time such as í gær, í fyrra or á fimmtudaginn needs the simple past: Ég sá hana í gær.

Other ways to say "have done". In everyday speech Icelanders very often use vera búinn að for something finished: Ertu búinn að borða? For people who have arrived or left, use vera with a participle (vera kominn, vera farinn): Hann er kominn (He has arrived) describes the result now, while Hann hefur komið hingað means he has been here before. To put one past event before another, use hafði + supine.

Examples (6)

  1. Ég hef komið til Íslands.

    I have been to Iceland.

    Word by Word: I have come to Iceland.

  2. Hefurðu séð myndina?

    Have you seen the film?

    Word by Word: Have-you seen the-film?

  3. Ég hef aldrei smakkað hákarl.

    I have never tasted fermented shark.

    Word by Word: I have never tasted shark.

  4. Við höfum búið hér í tvö ár.

    We have lived here for two years.

    Word by Word: We have lived here in two years.

    A length of time up to now works with the perfect.

  5. Hún hefur ekki lesið bókina.

    She hasn't read the book.

    Word by Word: She has not read the-book.

    ekki comes after hefur, before the supine.

  6. Ég hef einu sinni hitt hann.

    I have met him once.

    Word by Word: I have one time met him.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the perfect with a finished time.

    Ég hef séð hana í gær.
    Ég sá hana í gær.

    í gær names a finished time, so Icelandic uses the simple past, just like English.

  • Putting ekki after the supine.

    Ég hef séð ekki myndina.
    Ég hef ekki séð myndina.

    ekki follows the finite verb hef, so it comes before the supine.

  • Using the infinitive instead of the supine.

    Ég hef fara til Íslands.
    Ég hef farið til Íslands.

    After hafa the main verb is always in the supine: fara → farið.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

hafa + SupineLevel 2The Perfect (Hef Talað)

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The perfect builds on the supine and hafa.

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Words in This Pattern

hafa