Haber Conjugation in Spanish
haber means “have” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Spanish learners meet — it sits at number 3 in VerbFlow’s frequency list. You use it for the auxiliary in all perfect tenses, for existence and occurrence, and for compound tenses with the past participle. Because it comes up in everyday conversation so often, learning its forms properly pays off from the very first week. This page gives you the complete conjugation of haber — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Ha habido tres reuniones esta semana.” — “There have been three meetings this week.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: haber
- English: to have
- Verb type: Irregular
- Irregular in: present, preterite, imperfect, future, conditional, present-subjunctive, imperfect-subjunctive, present-perfect, pluperfect, future-perfect, conditional-perfect, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative
- Gerund: habiendo
- Past participle: habido
- Auxiliary: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + the past participle)
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for haber. Learn the present tense first, then the preterite and the imperfect, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he |
| tú | has |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha |
| nosotros/as | hemos |
| vosotros/as | habéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | hube |
| tú | hubiste |
| él/ella/Ud. | hubo |
| nosotros/as | hubimos |
| vosotros/as | hubisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | hubieron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había |
| tú | habías |
| él/ella/Ud. | había |
| nosotros/as | habíamos |
| vosotros/as | habíais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré |
| tú | habrás |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá |
| nosotros/as | habremos |
| vosotros/as | habréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría |
| tú | habrías |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría |
| nosotros/as | habríamos |
| vosotros/as | habríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he habido |
| tú | has habido |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha habido |
| nosotros/as | hemos habido |
| vosotros/as | habéis habido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han habido |
Pluperfect (past perfect)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había habido |
| tú | habías habido |
| él/ella/Ud. | había habido |
| nosotros/as | habíamos habido |
| vosotros/as | habíais habido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían habido |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré habido |
| tú | habrás habido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá habido |
| nosotros/as | habremos habido |
| vosotros/as | habréis habido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán habido |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría habido |
| tú | habrías habido |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría habido |
| nosotros/as | habríamos habido |
| vosotros/as | habríais habido |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían habido |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | haya |
| tú | hayas |
| él/ella/Ud. | haya |
| nosotros/as | hayamos |
| vosotros/as | hayáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | hayan |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | hubiera |
| tú | hubieras |
| él/ella/Ud. | hubiera |
| nosotros/as | hubiéramos |
| vosotros/as | hubierais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | hubieran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | habe |
| él/ella/Ud. | haya |
| nosotros/as | hayamos |
| vosotros/as | habed |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | hayan |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | hayas |
| él/ella/Ud. | haya |
| nosotros/as | hayamos |
| vosotros/as | hayáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | hayan |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Gerund | habiendo |
| Past participle | habido |
When to use each tense
Present indicative
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. With haber this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Ha habido tres reuniones esta semana.” — “There have been three meetings this week.”
Preterite
The preterite is used for completed actions in the past. With haber this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Hubo una reunión ayer.” — “There was a meeting yesterday.”
Imperfect
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and background description. With haber this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Había una reunión todos los días.” — “There was a meeting every day.”
Future
The future is used for what will happen, predictions and probability. With haber this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Habrá una reunión mañana.” — “There will be a meeting tomorrow.”
Conditional
The conditional is used for what would happen, polite requests and hypothetical situations. With haber this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Habría una reunión algún día.” — “There would be a meeting someday.”
Present perfect
The present perfect is used for recent past actions and life experience, formed with haber + the past participle. With haber this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Ha habido muchos cambios esta semana.” — “There have been many changes this week.”
Pluperfect (past perfect)
The pluperfect (past perfect) is used for an action completed before another past action. With haber this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Había habido una reunión antes de la fiesta.” — “There had been a meeting before the party.”
Future perfect
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. With haber this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Habrá habido una reunión para mañana.” — “There will have been a meeting by tomorrow.”
Conditional perfect
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. With haber this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Habría habido una reunión ayer.” — “There would have been a meeting yesterday.”
Present subjunctive
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. With haber this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Es importante que haya una reunión mañana.” — “It is important that there be a meeting tomorrow.”
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
The imperfect subjunctive (-ra) is used for the past subjunctive: wishes and hypotheticals about the past, and clauses after a past-tense trigger. With haber this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Ojalá hubiera una reunión mañana.” — “I wish there were a meeting tomorrow.”
Imperative (affirmative)
The imperative (affirmative) is used for direct commands and instructions. With haber this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “¡Haya una solución para todo!” — “Let there be a solution for everything!”
Imperative (negative)
The imperative (negative) is used for prohibitions and negative commands. With haber this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “No haya problemas en la reunión.” — “Let there be no problems at the meeting.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with haber, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Spanish and try to produce it from the English.
- “Ha habido tres reuniones esta semana.” — “There have been three meetings this week.”
- “Hubo una reunión ayer.” — “There was a meeting yesterday.”
- “Había una reunión todos los días.” — “There was a meeting every day.”
- “Habrá una reunión mañana.” — “There will be a meeting tomorrow.”
- “Habría una reunión algún día.” — “There would be a meeting someday.”
- “Ha habido muchos cambios esta semana.” — “There have been many changes this week.”
- “Había habido una reunión antes de la fiesta.” — “There had been a meeting before the party.”
- “Habrá habido una reunión para mañana.” — “There will have been a meeting by tomorrow.”
- “Es importante que haya una reunión mañana.” — “It is important that there be a meeting tomorrow.”
- “Ojalá hubiera una reunión mañana.” — “I wish there were a meeting tomorrow.”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Yo haber habido una reunión.”
✓ Right: “Yo he habido una reunión.”
The infinitive haber never takes a subject. After yo you need the conjugated present form he.
2. Confusing haber with tener
✗ Wrong: “Yo tengo habido.”
✓ Right: “Yo he habido.”
Tener means to possess something. Only haber works as the auxiliary in perfect tenses, so the correct form is he + the past participle.
3. Dropping the written accent
✗ Wrong: “habre”
✓ Right: “habré”
The accent on habré is part of the spelling in the future. Without it the form looks like a different word, so always write the accent.
4. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “Ojalá tú has habido una reunión.”
✓ Right: “Ojalá tú hayas habido una reunión.”
After ojalá Spanish needs the subjunctive, so use hayas here, not the indicative has.
5. Using the preterite for a habitual past action
✗ Wrong: “Yo hube habido una reunión antes.” (said of a repeated habit)
✓ Right: “Yo había habido una reunión antes.”
The preterite hube describes one finished action. For something you did regularly in the past, use the imperfect había.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on haber. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the yo form of haber in the Present indicative?
- A) has
- B) ha
- C) hemos
- D) he
What is the él/ella/Ud. form of haber in the Preterite?
- A) hubiste
- B) hubimos
- C) hubo
- D) hube
What is the nosotros/as form of haber in the Imperfect?
- A) habíais
- B) habíamos
- C) había
- D) habías
What is the tú form of haber in the Future?
- A) habrás
- B) habré
- C) habrá
- D) habremos
What is the yo form of haber in the Conditional?
- A) habrías
- B) habríamos
- C) habríais
- D) habría
What is the él/ella/Ud. form of haber in the Present subjunctive?
- A) hayamos
- B) hayáis
- C) haya
- D) hayas
What is the yo form of haber in the Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)?
- A) hubierais
- B) hubiera
- C) hubieras
- D) hubiéramos
What is the gerund of haber?
- A) habiendo
- B) estando
- C) teniendo
- D) haciendo
What is the past participle of haber?
- A) estado
- B) tenido
- C) hecho
- D) habido
What does haber mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to do
- C) to have
Answer key
- D) he — the yo form of haber in the present indicative is he. The other options (has, ha, hemos) are the same tense for different persons.
- C) hubo — the él/ella/Ud. form of haber in the preterite is hubo. The other options (hube, hubiste, hubimos) are the same tense for different persons.
- B) habíamos — the nosotros/as form of haber in the imperfect is habíamos. The other options (había, habías, había) are the same tense for different persons.
- A) habrás — the tú form of haber in the future is habrás. The other options (habré, habrá, habremos) are the same tense for different persons.
- D) habría — the yo form of haber in the conditional is habría. The other options (habrías, habría, habríamos) are the same tense for different persons.
- C) haya — the él/ella/Ud. form of haber in the present subjunctive is haya. The other options (haya, hayas, hayamos) are the same tense for different persons.
- B) hubiera — the yo form of haber in the imperfect subjunctive (-ra) is hubiera. The other options (hubieras, hubiera, hubiéramos) are the same tense for different persons.
- A) habiendo — the gerund of haber is habiendo; it is used with estar for the progressive. The other options are the gerunds of neighbouring verbs.
- D) habido — the past participle of haber is habido; perfect tenses use haber + habido. The other options are the participles of neighbouring verbs.
- C) to have — haber means “to have” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.
Frequently asked questions
What does haber mean in English?
haber means “to have”. You use it for the auxiliary in all perfect tenses, for existence and occurrence, and for compound tenses with the past participle. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is haber regular or irregular?
haber is irregular, and it is irregular in these tenses: present, preterite, imperfect, future, conditional, present-subjunctive, imperfect-subjunctive, present-perfect, pluperfect, future-perfect, conditional-perfect, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative. The gerund is habiendo and the past participle is habido.
What are the gerund and past participle of haber?
The gerund is habiendo — use it with estar for actions in progress. The past participle is habido — use it with haber for the perfect tenses, as in he habido (I have had).
What is the difference between haber and tener?
Haber is the auxiliary in perfect tenses; tener means to possess something. If you are unsure, check the full table for tener and compare the meanings in context.
How do I use haber in a perfect tense?
Use a form of haber plus the past participle of the main verb. For haber itself the forms are he habido, has habido, ha habido and so on — for example, “Ha habido muchos cambios esta semana.”
Related pages
- haber in the preterite tense — the full table and uses for this verb in its most practised tense.
- haber examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Spanish verbs — the full hub of Spanish conjugation pages.
- Spanish irregular verbs — every common irregular Spanish verb, grouped by pattern.
- Estar conjugation — another everyday Spanish verb.
- Tener conjugation — another everyday Spanish verb.
- Hacer conjugation — another everyday Spanish verb.
- Present tense guide — how the present tense works for regular verbs.
- Preterite tense guide — how the preterite works, and when to choose it over the imperfect.
- Verb Conjugator — practise haber with the interactive tool.
- Verb Quiz — practise haber with the interactive tool.
- Preterite Vs Imperfect — practise haber with the interactive tool.