Haver Conjugation in Portuguese
haver means “to have” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 4 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It is mostly an impersonal verb meaning “there is” or “there are”: há um livro na mesa. As a main verb meaning “to have” it survives mainly in formal and literary Portuguese, so in everyday speech you will meet há far more often than hei. Its pretérito perfeito is houve, and its compound tenses are built with ter, like every other verb. This page gives you the complete conjugation of haver — 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: “Há um livro na mesa.” — “There is a book on the table..”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: haver
- English: to have
- Verb type: Irregular -er verb
- Irregular in: presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo
- Gerund: havendo
- Present participle: —
- Past participle: havido
- Auxiliary: ter (all perfect tenses are formed with ter + the past participle)
- Ending: -er verbs; pattern er in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for haver, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Learn the spelling of the forms first, and listen to a native speaker for the sounds rather than trusting an invented transcription. The forms below are the ones that matter: once you can read haver in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about haver
- It is irregular in 8 tense(s): presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo. Learn those forms as a set instead of guessing them from the infinitive, because the stem changes in ways no rule predicts.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle havido. The tables on this page give the participle in the masculine singular form, exactly as it appears in the verified dump; agreement with the subject is a separate step that depends on the sentence, not on the verb table.
- The gerund is havendo and the past participle is havido: keep both in mind as you read the tables, because the gerund appears in progressive constructions and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. There is no present participle form listed for this verb in the verified tables. If you know those two forms and the present tense, you already know the skeleton of the whole conjugation.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for haver. Learn the present tense first, then the pretérito perfeito and the pretérito imperfeito, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative (presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | hei |
| tu | hás |
| ele/ela | há |
| nós | havemos |
| vós | haveis |
| eles/elas | hão |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Há um livro na mesa.” — “There is a book on the table.”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | houve |
| tu | houveste |
| ele/ela | houve |
| nós | houvemos |
| vós | houvestes |
| eles/elas | houveram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Houve uma festa ontem.” — “There was a party yesterday.”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | havia |
| tu | havias |
| ele/ela | havia |
| nós | havíamos |
| vós | havíeis |
| eles/elas | haviam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Havia muitas pessoas na festa.” — “There were many people at the party.”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | houvera |
| tu | houveras |
| ele/ela | houvera |
| nós | houvéramos |
| vós | houvéreis |
| eles/elas | houveram |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples is used for an action completed before another past action; in everyday speech the compound form with tinha is more common. For example: “Houvera uma festa antes do jantar.” — “There had been a party before dinner.”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | haverei |
| tu | haverás |
| ele/ela | haverá |
| nós | haveremos |
| vós | havereis |
| eles/elas | haverão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Haverá uma festa amanhã.” — “There will be a party tomorrow.”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | haveria |
| tu | haverias |
| ele/ela | haveria |
| nós | haveríamos |
| vós | haveríeis |
| eles/elas | haveriam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Haveria uma festa um dia.” — “There would be a party one day.”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho havido |
| tu | tens havido |
| ele/ela | tem havido |
| nós | temos havido |
| vós | tendes havido |
| eles/elas | têm havido |
The pretérito perfeito composto is used for actions that started in the past and continue, or have been repeated, up to the present. For example: “Tem havido muitas festas esta semana.” — “There have been many parties this week.”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha havido |
| tu | tinhas havido |
| ele/ela | tinha havido |
| nós | tínhamos havido |
| vós | tínheis havido |
| eles/elas | tinham havido |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Tinha havido uma festa antes do jantar.” — “There had been a party before dinner.”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei havido |
| tu | terás havido |
| ele/ela | terá havido |
| nós | teremos havido |
| vós | tereis havido |
| eles/elas | terão havido |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Terá havido uma festa até amanhã.” — “There will have been a party by tomorrow.”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria havido |
| tu | terias havido |
| ele/ela | teria havido |
| nós | teríamos havido |
| vós | teríeis havido |
| eles/elas | teriam havido |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Teria havido uma festa ontem.” — “There would have been a party yesterday.”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | haja |
| tu | hajas |
| ele/ela | haja |
| nós | hajamos |
| vós | hajais |
| eles/elas | hajam |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que haja uma festa.” — “It is important that there be a party.”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | houvesse |
| tu | houvesses |
| ele/ela | houvesse |
| nós | houvéssemos |
| vós | houvésseis |
| eles/elas | houvessem |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after que, and in se-clauses. For example: “Era importante que houvesse uma festa.” — “It was important that there be a party.”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | houver |
| tu | houveres |
| ele/ela | houver |
| nós | houvermos |
| vós | houverdes |
| eles/elas | houverem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se houver uma festa, vou.” — “If there is a party, I will go.”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | há |
| ele/ela | haja |
| nós | hajamos |
| vós | havei |
| eles/elas | hajam |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Haja paciência!” — “Have patience!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não hajas |
| ele/ela | não haja |
| nós | não hajamos |
| vós | não hajais |
| eles/elas | não hajam |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não hajas pressa.” — “Do not hurry.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha havido |
| tu | tenhas havido |
| ele/ela | tenha havido |
| nós | tenhamos havido |
| vós | tenhais havido |
| eles/elas | tenham havido |
The presente do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a subordinate clause expressing doubt, wish or emotion. For example: “É importante que tenha havido uma festa.” — “It is important that there has been a party.”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse havido |
| tu | tivesses havido |
| ele/ela | tivesse havido |
| nós | tivéssemos havido |
| vós | tivésseis havido |
| eles/elas | tivessem havido |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que tivesse havido uma festa.” — “It was important that there had been a party.”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver havido |
| tu | tiveres havido |
| ele/ela | tiver havido |
| nós | tivermos havido |
| vós | tiverdes havido |
| eles/elas | tiverem havido |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se tiver havido uma festa, vou.” — “If there has been a party, I will go.”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | havendo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Havendo uma festa, vou.” — “There being a party, I will go.”
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | havido |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Tem havido muitas festas esta semana.” — “There have been many parties this week..”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with haver, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Há um livro na mesa.” — “There is a book on the table.”
- “Houve uma festa ontem.” — “There was a party yesterday.”
- “Havia muitas pessoas na festa.” — “There were many people at the party.”
- “Haverá uma festa amanhã.” — “There will be a party tomorrow.”
- “Haveria uma festa um dia.” — “There would be a party one day.”
- “Tem havido muitas festas esta semana.” — “There have been many parties this week.”
- “Tinha havido uma festa antes do jantar.” — “There had been a party before dinner.”
- “Terá havido uma festa até amanhã.” — “There will have been a party by tomorrow.”
- “É importante que haja uma festa.” — “It is important that there be a party.”
- “Haja paciência!” — “Have patience!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu haver um livro na mesa.”
✓ Right: “Há um livro na mesa.”
The infinitive haver never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form hei.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu hás um livro na mesa.”
✓ Right: “Há um livro na mesa.”
hás is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with hei.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu hei um livro na mesa ontem.”
✓ Right: “Houve uma festa ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito houve for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou havido um livro na mesa.”
✓ Right: “Tem havido muitas festas esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of haver is formed with ter plus the past participle havido: the eu form is tenho havido. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
5. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “É importante que eu hei um livro na mesa.”
✓ Right: “É importante que haja uma festa.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use haja here, not the indicative hei.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho havendo um livro na mesa.”
✓ Right: “Tem havido muitas festas esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle havido, not the gerund havendo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on haver. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of haver in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) hás
- B) hei
- C) há
- D) havemos
What is the ele/ela form of haver in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) houveste
- B) houvemos
- C) houve
- D) houvestes
What is the nós form of haver in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) havia
- B) havias
- C) havíeis
- D) havíamos
What is the tu form of haver in the Futuro do presente?
- A) haverás
- B) haverei
- C) haverá
- D) haveremos
What is the eu form of haver in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) haverias
- B) haveria
- C) haveríamos
- D) haveríeis
What is the ele/ela form of haver in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho havido
- B) tens havido
- C) tem havido
- D) temos havido
What is the ele/ela form of haver in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) hajas
- B) hajamos
- C) hajais
- D) haja
What is the eu form of haver in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) houvesse
- B) houvesses
- C) houvéssemos
- D) houvésseis
What is the gerund of haver?
- A) havido
- B) havendo
- C) haver
- D) hei
What does haver mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) —
- C) to have
- D) —
Answer key
- B) hei — the correct form is hei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) houve — the correct form is houve. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) havíamos — the correct form is havíamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) haverás — the correct form is haverás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) haveria — the correct form is haveria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem havido — the correct form is tem havido. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) haja — the correct form is haja. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) houvesse — the correct form is houvesse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) havendo — the correct form is havendo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to have — the correct form is to have. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does haver mean in English?
haver means “to have”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is haver regular or irregular?
haver is irregular: it is irregular in presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo. The gerund is havendo and the past participle is havido.
What are the gerund and past participle of haver?
The gerund is havendo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is havido — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho havido.
Which auxiliary does haver take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
haver takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho havido. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle havido.
How do I say “there is” in Portuguese?
Say “Há um livro na mesa.” — “There is a book on the table.” The ele form há is the one you will use most often, because haver is normally impersonal.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of haver — every tense of haver in one place.
- Haver in the pretérito perfeito tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Haver examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Portuguese pretérito perfeito tense guide — the full guide to the pretérito perfeito tense in Portuguese.
- Portuguese irregular verbs — every common irregular Portuguese verb, grouped by pattern.
- Ser conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Ter conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Portuguese verbs — the full hub of Portuguese conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Verb Conjugator — practise haver with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise haver with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise haver with the interactive tool.