How to Use the Verb TO HAVE in the Imperative

So we have a verb tense in English called the imperative.

It's when we use a verb quickly

to tell someone to do something

and the sentence doesn't actually have a subject.

We say things like, "Watch out!" or "Be careful!"

In this English lesson, I wanna look at the imperative

with one particular verb.

I want to look at the imperative with the verb to have.

We use the verb to have with the imperative

in some very unique ways.

So in this English lesson, I'll talk about seven of them.

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Sometimes in English, we use the verb to have

in the imperative when someone's going to go do something

and we want them to have a good time when they're doing it.

My kids often go out with their friends now.

My kids are getting older,

so they don't always go out and do fun things with me,

sometimes they go out with their friends,

and I might say one of these three things.

I might say "Have fun!"

I might say, "Have a good time!"

Or there's a very informal phrase we use in North America.

I might say, "Have a good one!"

So when someone is going to go do something

and you're not going with,

you might want them to have a good time,

you might want them to have fun,

so as they leave, you might say,

"Hey, see you, have fun, have a good time,

or have a good one."

Every once in a while, someone you know will go on a trip

and I'm sure you want them to have

an enjoyable time on the trip,

so you can use the verb to have in the imperative

to wish them well.

You could say, "See you later, have a good trip!"

You can specifically tell them

that you want them to have a good time on the trip.

You want it to be a memorable trip, a fun trip,

you want them to enjoy it.

So as you drop them off at the airport

or as you say goodbye as they leave,

you might say to them, "Have a good trip."

It's also very common for me to use the verb

to have in the imperative at the end of my workday.

As I'm heading out the building at the end of a workday,

I'll often say to a colleague, "See you tomorrow,

"have a good night!"

So I'll use the phrase have a good night

because I want to wish them well.

I do actually hope that they have a good night.

If it's Friday, though, I might say something different.

I might say, "See you Monday, have a good weekend!"

So we can once again use the verb to have

in the imperative to wish someone well.

you could say have a good night

or you could say have a good weekend.

Sometimes we use have in the imperative

When we offer something to someone.

Sometimes when my kids come home from school,

they're a little bit grouchy

because they're hungry or they're thirsty.

I might say to them, "Here, have a cookie,

"have a snack, have a drink."

Before we start talking about what their day was like

or start talking about what they did at school that day,

sometimes they just need to eat something

and they just need to have a drink.

So I'll use the verb to have in the imperative

to say things just like that.

"Have a snack, have a drink, have a cookie

"and then we'll talk about your day."

Another English phrase that we use with the verb

to have in the imperative is the phrase have mine.

This is a phrase we use when we give something that we have

to someone else.

A few months ago, in the middle of the winter,

we were on a walk as a family,

and I wore my gloves, but I noticed one of my kids didn't.

So I said to them, "Here, have mine."

It's really easy for me to stay warm

when I'm outside in the winter,

even if I don't have gloves on,

but I noticed that my kid

kept putting their hands in their pockets

and that they were a little bit cold,

so I said, "Here, have mine."

You might also do this when you're eating.

Maybe you've ordered a big meal at a restaurant

and someone is looking at the food you ordered

and says, "Wow, those French fries look really yummy."

You might say, "You know what,

"I don't really want them, have mine."

So basically, when you say have mine in English,

you're giving something that you have to someone else.

It's a really nice phrase, isn't it?

Sometimes when you're looking at something interesting

and you want someone else to look at it,

you might use the phrase, have a look at this.

Maybe you're looking at a news story on your computer

and it's fascinating.

You might say to someone,

"Hey, have a look at this news story.

"It's really, really interesting."

Maybe you're walking outside

and you see this really strange insect

that you've never seen before.

You might say to one of the people that you're walking with,

"Hey, have a look at this.

"Do you know the name of this bug?"

So another English phrase in the imperative

using the verb to have is the phrase have a look at this.

Another common English phrase with the verb

to have in the imperative is the phrase, have a seat.

Okay, maybe this one is only common in a classroom.

As many of you know, I'm an actual teacher.

I go to work every day at a school

and each and every time I start my class,

I usually end up saying have a seat.

When I arrive in the classroom,

students are usually standing and talking.

I wait until the bell goes, signaling the start of class,

and then I say, "Okay, everyone, have a seat,

let's get started."

So a common phrase but maybe only common for people like me,

who are teachers.

When you're in a classroom

you might hear the teacher say have a seat.

Well, thank you so much for watching this English lesson

about how to use the verb to have in the imperative

to say a variety of things.

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