Language/Russian/Grammar/How-to-Use-Have

Russian Grammar - How to Use "Have"

Hi Russian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on the verb "to have" in Russian. We will learn how to use it and how it differs from English. We will also provide you with cultural information and interesting facts along the way. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use the verb "to have" in different contexts and situations like a native! Let's begin!

Introduction

The verb "to have" is translated into Russian as "иметь" (imet') or "у меня есть" (u menya yest'). It is used to express possession or existence of things, people, animals, or emotions. In English, the verb "to have" is used to denote possession, but in Russian, two forms are used. The choice between "иметь" and "у меня есть" depends on the context of the sentence. For example, Я имею братa (Ya imeyu brata) means "I have a brother" in a more formal context, while У меня есть брат (U menya yest' brat) means "I have a brother" and is more commonly used. In this lesson, we will provide examples using both forms. 😊

After mastering this lesson, you can also explore other related topics, such as Russian Comparatives and Superlatives, Noun-Adjective Agreement in Russian Pronouns, and Genitive Case in Russian Nouns and Gender. Enjoy your journey into the fascinating world of Russian grammar! 📚

Grammar

Let's first learn how to use "иметь" (imet'). It is followed by the accusative case.

For example:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
У меня есть деньги	U menya yest' den'gi	I have money
Я имею автомобиль	Ya imeyu avtomobil'	I have a car
У него есть дом	U nego yest' dom	He has a house
Она имеет много друзей	Ona imeet mnogo druzey	She has many friends

Now let's learn how to use "у меня есть" (u menya yest'). It is followed by the nominative case.

For example:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
У меня есть кошка	U menya yest' koshka	I have a cat
У неё есть большой нос	U neyo yest' bol'shoy nos	She has a big nose
У нас есть деньги	U nas yest' den'gi	We have money
У тебя есть машина?	U tebya yest' mashina?	Do you have a car?

Notice that the phrase "у меня есть" (u menya yest') is used in the present tense to express temporary situations, while "иметь" (imet') is used in the present tense to express permanent states.

For example:

• У меня есть головная боль (U menya yest' golovnaya bol') means "I have a headache." (temporary situation)
• Я имею голубые глаза (Ya imeyu golubye glaza) means "I have blue eyes." (permanent state)

You can also use the phrase "у меня нет" (u menya net) which means "I don't have."

For example:

• У меня нет времени (U menya net vremeni) means "I don't have time."

Let's see how we can use "иметь" (imet') in past and future tenses.

To form the past tense, we use the instrumental case with the verb "иметь" (imet').

For example:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
Он имел много проблем	On imel mnogo problem	He had many problems.
Я имел холод	Ya imel kholod	I had a cold.

To form the future tense, we use the verb "быть" (byt') in the future tense and the infinitive form of "иметь" (imet').

For example:

Russian	Pronunciation	English
Я буду иметь машину	Ya budu imet' mashinu	I will have a car.
Она будет иметь много детей	Ona budet imet' mnogo detey	She will have many children.

Now that you have learned how to use "to have" in Russian, let's create a dialogue so that you can see it in context! 🗣️

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Сколько у тебя денег? (Skol'ko u tebya deneg?) - How much money do you have?
• Person 2: У меня есть 500 рублей. (U menya yest' 500 rubley) - I have 500 rubles.

• Person 1: У тебя есть iPhone? (U tebya yest' iPhone?) - Do you have an iPhone?
• Person 2: Да, у меня есть iPhone 12. (Da, u menya yest' iPhone dvenadtsat') - Yes, I have an iPhone 12.

• Person 1: Какой у тебя размер ноги? (Kakoy u tebya razmer nogi?) - What is your shoe size?
• Person 2: У меня большая нога, 45 размер. (U menya bol'shaya noga, 45 razmer) - I have big feet, size 45.

Culture and Interesting Facts

Did you know that in Russian, there are some expressions related to the verb "to have" that have different meanings than in English? Here are some examples:

• У меня ломится душа (U menya lomitsya dusha) - Literally "my soul is breaking" means "I am very sad" or "I feel emotional."
• У него башка не варит (U nego bashka ne varit) - Literally "his head is not boiling" means "He is confused" or "He is not thinking clearly."

Moreover, the verb "to have" is used differently in Russian and English when expressing age. In English, we say "I am X years old," but in Russian, we use the verb "быть" (byt') which means "to be."

For example:

• Мне двадцать лет (Mne dvadtsat' let) - I am 20 years old. (literally "I have 20 years.")

To improve your Russian Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

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