What are common mistakes with Hafa (að hafa) — nútíð?

Confusing hef (1sg) with hefur (2sg/3sg) and hafa (3pl). The vowel changes (a→e→ö) follow umlaut rules. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English 'have/has' is simpler — only 2 forms. Four Icelandic forms + umlaut vowel changes are harder. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian 'иметь' is rarely used — Russians use 'у меня есть'. The trap here is the opposite one: possession is eiga ( ég á bíl ), and hafa is for abstracts and the perfect. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech mám/máš/má/máme/máte/mají has 6 forms — good practice for Icelandic 4 forms. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German haben with habe/hast/hat/haben/habt/haben is excellent preparation.

Hafa (að hafa) — nútíð | Icelandic Grammar A1

Hafa (að hafa) — nútíð

A1 — Sagnir

The verb 'to have' (hafa) in present tense — hef, hefur, höfum, hafið, hafa

Can conjugate hafa (to have) in the present and use it for the perfect and with abstract nouns (hafa tíma); possession is eiga

The verb 'to have' (hafa) in present tense — hef, hefur, höfum, hafið, hafa

Examples

Ég hef tíma á morgun. — I have time tomorrow.
Við höfum búið í Reykjavík í tíu ár. — We have lived in Reykjavík for ten years.
Þau hafa gaman af sundi. — They enjoy swimming.

SagnirA1

Hafa (to have) — Present Tense

The verb 'to have' (hafa) in present tense — hef, hefur, höfum, hafið, hafa

Learning Goal

Can conjugate hafa (to have) in the present and use it for the perfect and with abstract nouns (hafa tíma); possession is eiga

Exam Skills:VISC-A1

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Ég hef tíma á morgun.

I have time tomorrow.

Við höfum búið í Reykjavík í tíu ár.

We have lived in Reykjavík for ten years.

Þau hafa gaman af sundi.

They enjoy swimming.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Sagnorðið hafa (to have) er annað mikilvægt sagnorð. Nútíðarmyndir:

Persóna	Eintala	Fleirtala
1. p.	ég hef	við höfum
2. p.	þú hefur	þið hafið
3. p.	hann/hún/það hefur	þeir/þær/þau hafa

Notkun - hafa tekur óhlutstæð orð og er hjálparsögn:

Eign - hér er eiga: Ég á bíl. (I have a car.) *Ég hef bíl er ekki íslenska.
Skyldleiki - líka eiga: Hún á tvo bræður. (She has two brothers.)
Hjálparsögn: Ég hef lesið bókina. (I have read the book.)

Athugið: 2. og 3. persóna eintölu deila sömu mynd: hefur. Stofnsérhljóðið breytist: haf- → hef- → höf- (u-umlaut í 1. p. ft.).

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Confusing hef (1sg) with hefur (2sg/3sg) and hafa (3pl). The vowel changes (a→e→ö) follow umlaut rules. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English 'have/has' is simpler — only 2 forms. Four Icelandic forms + umlaut vowel changes are harder.

Ég hef tíma á morgun.

I have time tomorrow.

Hef = 1st person singular. Hafa goes with abstract nouns - tími, áhugi, gaman. A dog or a car takes eiga instead: <em>ég á hund</em>.

Við höfum búið í Reykjavík í tíu ár.

We have lived in Reykjavík for ten years.

Höfum = 1st person plural - note the ö, the u-umlaut of a. Hafa plus the supine (búið) builds the perfect: that is this verb's main job.

Þau hafa gaman af sundi.

They enjoy swimming.

Hafa = 3rd person plural. Hafa gaman af is a fixed phrase - to enjoy something - and af takes the dative: sundi from sund. In Iceland the pool is a daily habit, not a sport.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Frequently asked questions

When is Hafa (að hafa) — nútíð used?: Sagnorðið hafa (to have) er annað mikilvægt sagnorð. Nútíðarmyndir:
How is Hafa (að hafa) — nútíð formed?: Athugið: 2. og 3. persóna eintölu deila sömu mynd: hefur . Stofnsérhljóðið breytist: haf- → hef- → höf- (u-umlaut í 1. p. ft.).
What are common mistakes with Hafa (að hafa) — nútíð?: Confusing hef (1sg) with hefur (2sg/3sg) and hafa (3pl). The vowel changes (a→e→ö) follow umlaut rules. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English 'have/has' is simpler — only 2 forms. Four Icelandic forms + umlaut vowel changes are harder. 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian 'иметь' is rarely used — Russians use 'у меня есть'. The trap here is the opposite one: possession is eiga ( ég á bíl ), and hafa is for abstracts and the perfect. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech mám/máš/má/máme/máte/mají has 6 forms — good practice for Icelandic 4 forms. 🇩🇪 German speakers: German haben with habe/hast/hat/haben/habt/haben is excellent preparation.