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Helena
What's the different between haven't and don't have? are they both correct?
Jul 7, 2016 10:00 PM
Answers · 6
4
Ciao Helena,
"Haven't" is generally used as the negation of the perfect tense, i.e. "I haven't finished the book yet". So, you use it when "to have" is the auxilliary verb for the perfect tense.
"Don't have", on the other hand, is used when "have" is a marker of posession, i.e. "I don't have any books about Rome".
I hope this helps!
July 7, 2016
3
There are two forms of the negative of 'have' because 'have' does two jobs - auxiliary verb and main verb:
#1. We always use 'haven't' when it is an auxiliary (helping) verb in present perfect constructions:
I haven't seen that book.
We haven't been waiting here for long.
#2. We generally use 'don't have' when it's a main verb:
I don't have a car.
We don't have tickets.
and we always use 'don't have' when the next word is 'to':
You don't have to pay.
We don't have to go home.
Exceptions:
* Note that an alternative to 'We don't have tickets' is 'We haven't got tickets'. This follows the same pattern as in #1 above, because the construction is the same as a present perfect.
*It is possible to use 'haven't' as the negative of a main verb in some cases, particularly when it is followed by 'many' 'much' and words beginning with 'no' and 'any'. For example, you could say 'I haven't any time' or 'I haven't much time'. This is more common in British English than in American English.
If in doubt, always use 'don't have', unless it is followed by a past participle (been, seen, gone etc). If it's followed by a past participle, use 'haven't.'
July 7, 2016
1
Both are correct, but each is used in a specific context.
1) Haven't [have + not] = Here, the word "have" is used as an auxiliary verb to make compound tenses (Present Perfect, Passive voice, etc.).
Ex.: I haven't finished my homework. -> the main verb is "finished" (past part. Finish).
2) Doesn't have [does + not + have] = now, "have" is a main verb, while "does" is an auxiliary verb.
Ex.: He doesn't have a car.
*) Do not confuse them because the following sentence makes any sense at least in formal English: He haven't a car.
July 7, 2016
They are both correct but "haven't" is far less common than "don't have".
For example, saying "I don't have any dogs", is MORE COMMON than saying "I haven't any dogs".
This is true only in the present tense, though.
July 7, 2016
Haven't = have not
Don't have = do not have
They are not interchangeable but they do mean the same thing.
July 7, 2016
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Helena
Language Skills
English, French, Italian, Spanish
Learning Language
English, French, Spanish
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