How to Use English Collocations with the Verb To Have

There are so many English collocations with the verb HAVE.

I have tried to list as many as I can below. I have sectioned them off into different categories.

The best way to learn these collocations is to learn a small selection of them and try to use those in your daily speech or writing.

Then, when you have more confidence, you can learn some more and start using those.

The more you use them in your daily life, the faster you can memorize them.

Good luck!

Collocations + Have about Eating

In English, we use the verb HAVE to talk about meals we eat or the different food we eat. We don’t always use the word EAT to talk about these things.

We can say — I eat breakfast every morning. There is nothing wrong with saying that.

But we usually say — I have breakfast every morning.

It’s just what people say in English.

We also use the word HAVE instead of DRINK. So we might say I have a coffee in the morning.

Have Breakfast

I have breakfast around 7am most mornings.

I had breakfast, and then I ran out the door to catch my bus.

Did you have breakfast yet?

Have Lunch

I have lunch at the same time every day.

I had lunch with my friend Sam yesterday.

I am having lunch with my family this Sunday.

Have Dinner

Let’s have dinner together this Friday!

I had dinner at my friend’s house last night.

I usually have dinner pretty late in the evening.

Have a Snack

I get pretty hungry in the afternoon and often have a snack.

I try not to have any snacks during the day.

Have a Sandwich

I only have time to have a sandwich for lunch most days.

I had a sandwich at school, then went to my next lesson.

Have Something To Eat

We have been driving for a long time! Let’s stop and have something to eat.

I want to have something to eat.

(Something to eat can mean any food. It just means you are hungry)

Have a Bite to Eat

Shall we have a bite to eat?

I had a bite to eat with my friend, then had to rush back to work.

(A bite to eat means to eat something)

Have Fish/Beef/Vegetables

I might have the fish.

What vegetables shall we have?

(You use this phrase in a restaurant when ordering food)

Have a Salad

I might just have a salad.

(In a restaurant, maybe you are not so hungry and just want a small meal to eat)

Have an Ice Cream

Mum, can I have an ice cream?

Let’s sit over there and have an ice cream!

Have a Coffee

Shall we stop and have a coffee?

I had a quick cup of coffee, then went back to the office.

Have a Cup of Tea

I had a nice cup of tea with my neighbour Bill yesterday.

As soon as I get home, I like to have a cup of tea.

Have Milk and Sugar

Do you have milk and sugar in your tea?

Can I have some sugar, please?

(When people drink tea and coffee, sometimes they like to add milk and sugar)

Collocations + Have about Washing and Personal Hygiene

British people use the word HAVE when talking about washing. American people often use the verb TAKE.

Let’s take a look at some ways to express personal hygiene using the word HAVE.

Have a Shower

I have a shower every morning.

I’m going to have a shower as soon as I get home.

Have a Bath

I like to have a bath on Sundays. Just relax in the hot water and do nothing.

I don’t like to have a shower; I prefer to have a bath.

Have a Wash

In the mornings, I only have time for a quick wash, then I have to leave the house.

I have a wash and then go to school.

(We often say ‘have a quick wash’ — this just means that we try to wash our face and hands quickly)

Have a Shave

I think I need to have a shave — my beard is getting quite long.

I usually have a shave in the shower — it just saves time.

Have a Haircut

I try to have a haircut every two months.

I usually have a haircut on Saturday — it’s the only day I have time.

Have a Sauna

When I go to the gym, I sometimes have a sauna.

I have a sauna then jump in the cold pool.

Collocations + Have about Resting

The verb HAVE is used in collocations for sleeping and resting. In American-English, people say TAKE A BREAK and TAKE A NAP.

The following collocations are all British-English.

Have a Rest

I love the weekends — I can just have a really good rest and do nothing at all.

Let’s stop for a few minutes and have a rest.

Have a Break

Do you mind if we have a break? I feel kind of tired.

Maybe it’s time to have a break — let’s get a cup of tea.

Have a Nap

Most afternoons, I have a nap for about 30 minutes.

I can’t wait to get home and have a nap.

Have a Snooze

I like to have a snooze at lunchtime.

I got home and felt so tired; I had to have a snooze.

(Snooze means a short, light sleep — often during the daytime)

Have a Lie Down

I felt a little giddy, so I had a lie down.

I was exhausted after moving all my things, so I had a lie down.

Have a Sleep

I need to have a sleep, I’m so tired.

(A sleep is a short period of sleeping, unlike go to sleep, which means to sleep for all the night)

Have a Lie-In

On Sundays, I always have a lie-in.

I like to have a lie-in if I have nothing to do.

(A lie-in is to sleep late into the day)

Collocations + Have about Time Off

Have a Holiday

We try to have a holiday at least once a year.

I had a great holiday in France in the summer.

(In Britain, we use the word HOLIDAY. In America, people say VACATION)

Have the Day Off

I wasn’t feeling great, so I had the day off.

If I have any urgent business, my manager always lets me have the day off.

Have a Couple of Days Off

I needed a break, so I had a couple of days off.

We had a couple of days off, so we went down to Cornwall.

Have Some Time Off

I had some time off and did some decorating.

Collocations + Have about Recreation

There are a few English collocations + have about recreation. Let’s take a look.

Have a Good Time

Did you have a good time last Friday?

We had a great time in New York!

Have a Party

Why don’t we have a party this Christmas?

We had a party for my birthday last year.

Have a Night Out

I had a great night out with my friends last night.

I would love to have a night out, but work is so busy.

Have a Drink

Shall we have a drink after work?

I had a drink with Tom the other night.

(In British-English, to have a drink means to drink some beer, wine or other alcoholic drink)

Have Some Fun

At the weekend, I like to have some fun with my friends.

We went to London and had some fun.

Have Some Laughs

We had some laughs last night at the bar.

Every time I go out with my friends, I have some laughs.

Have a Blast

We went out last night and had a blast.

I had a blast in San Francisco last year.

(To have a blast is American-English — it means to have a lot of fun)

Have a Riot

I went out with all my girlfriends last night and we had a riot.

(To have a riot means to have a lot of fun)

Have a Dance

I love to go to a nightclub and have a dance.

Have a Boogie

We go out every Friday night and have a boogie.

Have a Game

I love to have a game of football with my friends on Saturday.

Have a Barbecue

We had a barbecue last summer in the garden.

Collocations + Have about Talking

Have a Chat

Can we have a chat about something?

I had a good chat with my boss about work.

Have a Talk

Let’s have a talk tonight.

I had a talk with my brother yesterday.

(To have a talk means to have a conversation about a problem or issue between two people)

Have a Conversation

I think we need to have a conversation.

It might be a good idea to set up a time to have a conversation.

Have a Natter

I bumped into my old friend Paul and we had a natter.

(To have a natter means to talk freely about everyday topics)

Have a Discussion

I think we need to have a discussion about your work.

(To have a discussion means to talk about something in a serious way)

Collocations + Have about Disagreeing

These are some ways to express having an argument or strongly disagreeing with someone using English collocations and the verb HAVE.

Have an Argument

I had an argument with my wife last night.

Sometimes we have an argument, but not very often.

Have a Row

I had a huge row with my dad this morning.

We had a bit of a row yesterday.

Have a Dispute

We had a dispute in the company today between the two departments.

Have a Fight

We had an awful fight over nothing at all today.

Have a Quarrel

Sometimes me and my parents have a quarrel — usually about my studies.

Collocations + Have about Exercise

Have a Walk

Shall we have a walk after dinner?

I like to have a walk around the park in the mornings.

Have a Run

It’s nice to have a run first thing in the morning.

Do I have time to have a run before we have lunch?

Have a Jog

I usually have a jog around the park two or three times a week.

I see many people going out to have a jog on Sundays.

Have a Swim

Let’s have a swim before driving down to the town.

I like to have a swim then lie on the beach and sunbathe.

Have a Game

Do you want to have a game of cricket this Sunday?

I love to have a game of tennis at the weekend.

Collocations + Have about Education

Have a Lesson

I have a maths lesson in the morning.

Do we have an English lesson tomorrow?

Have a Class

I can’t meet you now — I have my art class at 7pm.

I have a yoga class twice a week.

Have Class

Quick, let’s hurry! We have class at 8:30am.

I have a maths class every day.

Have a Lecture

I have a lecture on psychology in the morning.

Do we have a lecture on Friday?

Have a Tutorial

I have a tutorial every week with my teacher.

Collocations + Have about Being Sick

Have a Cold

I can’t meet you, I have a cold.

You sound awful. Do you have a cold?

Have the Flu

I feel terrible… I think I have the flu.

I had the flu earlier this year. I had a really high fever.

Have a Fever

You’re burning up! You have a very high fever!

Have a Temperature

I’m sweating… I think I have a temperature.

Have a Headache

I have a headache… Do you have any painkillers?

Have a Toothache

I have a raging toothache. I think I need to go to the dentist.

Have Backache

I have a backache from lifting weights in the gym.

Have an Earache

I have an earache. It’s really painful.

Have a Bad Stomach

I have a bad stomach from eating that street food last night.

Have Diarrhoea

I had terrible diarrhoea this morning. I think I ate some rotten food the night before.

Have Cancer

I heard some terrible news last night. My aunt has cancer.

Have an Operation

I had some trouble with my stomach and had an operation in hospital.

Have Surgery

I might need to have surgery on my knee from playing rugby.

Collocations + Have about Family

Have Children

I would love to have children of my own one day.

Do you have any children?

Have Kids

Do you have kids?

I have two kids — a boy and a girl.

Have a Baby

She had a baby last month.

I want to have a baby.

(To have a baby means to give birth to a baby)

Collocations + Have about Appointments

Have an Appointment

Excuse me, do you have an appointment?

I have an appointment to see Dr Smith.

(To have an appointment is a formal term for a scheduled time or meeting)

Have an Interview

I have a job interview next week — I’m kind of nervous.

I had an interview at this big company yesterday. Now I’m waiting for their response.

Have a Date

I have a date tonight with a girl I met online.

Have a Meeting

I have so many meetings for work every week!

Collocations + Have about Trouble

Have Trouble

I had some trouble with my phone last week — I couldn’t get any reception at all.

I had some car trouble yesterday. But all fixed now.

Have Difficulty

We had so much difficulty getting a flight.

I seem to have a lot of difficulties getting online…

Have a Hard Time

I have a hard time going up the stairs… I suppose I am getting old.

Collocations + Have about Good Wishes

Have a Good Day

Have a good day! All the best!

I hope you have a good day in London.

(We usually say Have a Good Day to someone who is going somewhere for the day or doing something special on that day)

Have a Good Weekend

Have a good weekend! See you on Monday!

Have a good weekend! Back on Monday!

(We wish someone to have a good weekend when we leave work on a Friday)

Have a Good Time

I hope you have a good time in Greece.

Have a good time at the party tonight!

(We wish someone to have a good time if we know they are doing something special that evening or someday in the future)

Have a Good Trip

You’re off to Mexico soon, right? Well, have a good trip!

Have a good trip to France! Send us some pictures!

Have a Good Holiday

I hope you have a good holiday in Italy.

Have a Good Break

Have a good break next week!

Conclusion

This is by no means a full, and complete list of collocations with the verb HAVE.

But it is enough for you to get started…

The best way to learn them is little by little. You could start by learning collocations + have about eating. Then start using those in your daily life.

After that, start learning some new ones from another category.

Keep trying and you will find you can learn many of them.

Good luck! And leave me a comment below!

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English Collocations with Have

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