hebben

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch hebben, from Old Dutch hebben, from Proto-West Germanic *habbjan, from Proto-Germanic *habjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂p- (to grasp).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɦɛbə(n)/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: heb‧ben
  • Rhymes: -ɛbən

Verb

hebben

  1. (transitive) to have, to possess, own, hold
    Synonym: bezitten
    Hebt u een minuut?Do you have a minute?
  2. (transitive, medicine) to be afflicted with a disease
    Ik heb griep.I have the flu.
  3. (auxiliary) Used to form the perfect tense of the active voice of most verbs, together with a past participle.
    Ik heb het koekje opgegeten.I have eaten the biscuit.
    Ze hadden hun auto net gewassen.They had only just washed their car.
    Hij heeft naar huis moeten lopen.He has had to walk home.
    Ik heb hem horen praten.I have heard him speak.
    Dat had je moeten doen.You should have done that.
  4. (auxiliary, with te) must, to be obliged to, to be to
    Synonym: moeten
    Daar hebben we ons bij neer te leggen.We must accept that.

Conjugation

Conjugation of hebben (weak, irregular)
infinitive hebben
past singular had
past participle gehad
infinitive hebben
gerund hebben n
present tense past tense
1st person singular heb had
2nd person sing. (jij) hebt, heb2 had
2nd person sing. (u) hebt, heeft had
2nd person sing. (gij) hebt hadt
3rd person singular heeft had
plural hebben hadden
subjunctive sing.1 hebbe hadde
subjunctive plur.1 hebben hadden
imperative sing. heb
imperative plur.1 hebt
participles hebbend gehad
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.

Derived terms

nouns
verbs

Descendants

  • Afrikaans:
  • Berbice Creole Dutch: ha, habu
  • Javindo: geef
  • Jersey Dutch: hävve, häbbe
  • Negerhollands: ha, a, hab

Low German

Alternative forms

  • hewwen

Etymology

From Old Saxon hebbian, from Proto-West Germanic *habbjan, from Proto-Germanic *habjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂p- (to grasp). Compare Dutch hebben, German haben, West Frisian hawwe, English have, Danish have.

Verb

hebben (third-person singular simple present hett, past tense harr, past participle hatt, auxiliary verb hebben)

  1. to have

Conjugation

Conjugation of hebben (irregular verb)
infinitive hebben
present preterite
1st person singular heff harr
2nd person singular hest harrst
3rd person singular hett harr
plural hebbt harren
imperative
singular hebb
plural hebbt
present past
participle hebben hatt

Note: This conjugation is one of many.
Neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects.

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch hebben, from Proto-West Germanic *habbjan, from Proto-Germanic *habjaną.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈhebːən/

Verb

hebben

  1. to have

Descendants

Further reading

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *habbjan, from Proto-Germanic *habjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂p- (to grasp).

Verb

hebben

  1. to have

Inflection

Descendants

Further reading

  • hebben”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈxeb.ben/, [ˈheb.ben]

Verb

hebben

  1. plural present subjunctive of hebban