hebben

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.

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

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhebːən/

Verb

hebben

1. to have

Further reading

• “hebben (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “hebben”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

Etymology

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

Verb

hebben

1. to have

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxeb.ben/, [ˈheb.ben]

Verb

hebben

1. plural present subjunctive of hebban