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

Japanese Grammar - How to Use "Have"

Hi Japanese learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will explore how to use the verb "to have" in Japanese, which is "持つ (もつ)" or "持っている (もっている)". Understanding how to use this verb will allow you to express possession and make sentences in a more natural way. Don't forget to practice these examples with native speakers on Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Basic Use of "持っている" to Express Possession

In Japanese, the verb "もっている" is used to express current possession of something. Here are some examples:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
ペンを持っています。	"Pen o motte imasu."	I have a pen.
車を持っています。	"Kuruma o motte imasu."	I have a car.
犬を２匹持っています。	"Inu o ni hiki motte imasu."	I have two dogs.

As you can see, we add "を" (pronounced "o") after the thing we possess and then add "持っています" (pronounced "motte imasu") at the end of the sentence.

Use of "持つ" to Express Possession

The verb "持つ" is used when we want to express that we possess something in general, but we may not necessarily have it at the moment. Here are some examples:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
昔、車を持っていました。	"Mukashi, kuruma o motte imashita."	I used to have a car.
私は富士山の写真を持っています。	"Watashi wa Fujisan no shashin o motte imasu."	I have a photo of Mt. Fuji.
彼は多くの経験を持っています。	"Kare wa ooku no keiken o motte imasu."	He has a lot of experience.

In these examples, we use "持っていました" (pronounced "motte imashita") to express that we used to possess something in the past, "持っています" to express that we possess something now, and "持っています" to express that someone has something in general.

Use of "持たせる" to Indicate Causative =

The causative form indicates that someone causes or makes something happen. In Japanese, the causative form of "持つ" is "持たせる (もたせる)" and is used when we want to express that someone makes another person hold something. Here are some examples:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
先生は生徒に本を持たせました。	"Sensei wa seito ni hon o motasemashita."	The teacher made the student hold the book.
彼は私に荷物を持たせました。	"Kare wa watashi ni nimotsu o motasemashita."	He made me hold the luggage.
母は子供に手を持たせました。	"Haha wa kodomo ni te o motasemashita."	My mother made the child hold her hand.

In these examples, we use "持たせました" to indicate that one person made another person hold something.

Use of "持っていく" and "持って来る" to Express Movement

In Japanese, we use different verbs to express if we're bringing something towards us (持ってくる) or taking something away from us (持っていく). Here are some examples:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
スーパーに行く前に、お金を持ってきてください。	"Suupaa ni iku mae ni, okane o motte kite kudasai."	Please bring money before going to the supermarket.
会議室に書類を持って行きました。	"Kaigishitsu ni shorui o motte ikimashita."	I took documents to the meeting room.

As you can see, we use "持ってこないでください" (pronounced "motte konai de kudasai") to ask someone not to bring something, and "持ってきてください" (pronounced "motte kite kudasai") to ask someone to bring something. We also use "持っていく" to express that we took something away from where we were, and "持ってくる" to express that we brought something towards us.

Dialogue

To help you understand the usage of the verb "to have" in context, let's listen in on a conversation between two friends:

• Person 1: 「私が子供の時、ペットを飼っていました。」("Watashi ga kodomo no toki, petto o kaite imashita.") - "When I was a child, I had a pet."
• Person 2: 「本当ですか？何のペット？」("Hontou desu ka? Nani no petto?") - "Really? What kind of pet?"
• Person 1: 「犬と猫の2匹を飼っていました。」("Inu to neko no nihiki o kaite imashita.") - "I had two pets, a dog and a cat."

Conclusion

Learning how to use "持つ (もつ)" and "持っている (もっている)" in Japanese is essential to describe your possessions in a natural way. Furthermore, knowing how to use "持ってくる (もってくる)" and "持っていく (もっていく)" will allow you to express movement accurately. Don't hesitate to practice with native speakers on Polyglot Club and integrate these grammar points to improve your sentences.

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