Using “Haver” vs “Ter” in Portuguese

Introduction

Learning when to use haver versus ter in Portuguese can be one of the most confusing aspects for English speakers. Both verbs can translate to to have in English, but they serve very different purposes in Portuguese and are not interchangeable. Understanding the distinction between these two verbs is essential for speaking and writing Portuguese correctly, as using one instead of the other can sound unnatural or even change the meaning of your sentence entirely.

Understanding the Basic Difference Between Haver and Ter

At its core, ter is the primary verb used to express possession and ownership in modern Portuguese, while haver serves more formal and specific functions. If you’re coming from English, think of ter as the standard to have when talking about things you own or possess, while haver functions more like there is or there are in existence statements.

The fundamental rule is straightforward: use ter when expressing possession of concrete or abstract things, and use haver primarily in formal contexts, impersonal expressions, or in fixed phrases. However, as with many aspects of language learning, the real-world application requires understanding nuance and context.

When to Use Ter: Possession and Everyday Situations

Expressing Ownership and Possession

The verb ter is your go-to choice for expressing possession of physical objects, relationships, characteristics, and abstract concepts. This is the verb you’ll use in the vast majority of everyday conversations.

Examples of possession with ter:
Eu tenho um carro novo. (I have a new car.)
Ela tem dois irmãos. (She has two brothers.)
Nós temos uma casa na praia. (We have a house at the beach.)
Eles têm muito dinheiro. (They have a lot of money.)

Notice how ter works exactly like to have in English when talking about things you own or possess. This makes it relatively intuitive for English speakers to grasp this usage.

Expressing Physical and Emotional States

Portuguese uses ter with various nouns to express physical sensations, emotions, and states that English often expresses with the verb to be. This is a crucial pattern to master.

Common expressions with ter:
Eu tenho fome. (I am hungry. / Literally: I have hunger.)
Você tem sede? (Are you thirsty? / Literally: Do you have thirst?)
Ele tem medo de altura. (He is afraid of heights. / Literally: He has fear of heights.)
Nós temos sorte. (We are lucky. / Literally: We have luck.)
Elas têm pressa. (They are in a hurry. / Literally: They have hurry.)

This construction is so common in Portuguese that you’ll encounter it constantly. Learning these fixed expressions with ter will make your Portuguese sound much more natural.

Expressing Age

One of the most important uses of ter is expressing age. Unlike English, which uses to be for age, Portuguese uses ter with the noun anos (years).

Examples:
Quantos anos você tem? (How old are you? / Literally: How many years do you have?)
Eu tenho 25 anos. (I am 25 years old. / Literally: I have 25 years.)
Meu filho tem três anos. (My son is three years old.)
Ela vai fazer 30 anos amanhã. (She will turn 30 tomorrow.)

Never use haver or the verb ser to express age in Portuguese. Always use ter with anos.

Obligations and Necessities

The construction ter que or ter de (both meaning to have to or must) is extremely common for expressing obligation or necessity. This is equivalent to the English have to.

Examples:
Eu tenho que estudar para a prova. (I have to study for the test.)
Você tem de acordar cedo amanhã. (You must wake up early tomorrow.)
Nós temos que terminar este projeto hoje. (We have to finish this project today.)
Eles têm que pagar a conta. (They have to pay the bill.)

Both ter que and ter de are acceptable, though ter que is more common in Brazilian Portuguese, while ter de is often considered slightly more formal or more common in European Portuguese.

When to Use Haver: Existence and Formal Contexts

Expressing Existence: There Is and There Are

The primary modern use of haver is as an impersonal verb meaning there is or there are. In this function, haver always remains in the third person singular form há, regardless of whether the following noun is singular or plural.

Examples with haver for existence:
Há um livro na mesa. (There is a book on the table.)
Há muitas pessoas no parque. (There are many people in the park.)
Há dois problemas com este plano. (There are two problems with this plan.)
Há uma solução para isso. (There is a solution for this.)

Notice that há stays the same whether you’re talking about one thing or many things. This is because haver is impersonal in this context—it has no subject performing the action.

The Competition Between Haver and Ter for Existence

Here’s where things get interesting: in spoken Brazilian Portuguese, many people use ter instead of haver to express existence, especially in informal situations. You’ll often hear people say tem instead of há.

Informal spoken examples:
Tem um livro na mesa. (There is a book on the table.)
Tem muitas pessoas no parque. (There are many people in the park.)
Tem alguém na porta. (There is someone at the door.)

While this use of ter is widespread in casual conversation, it’s considered incorrect in formal writing and standard grammar. In formal contexts, academic writing, and professional situations, always use haver (há) for existence statements.

The key difference: when used for existence, ter can conjugate in different tenses and contexts (tinha, terá, etc.), while haver remains impersonal. However, for learners, it’s best to master the formal rule first: use há for there is/there are in writing and formal speech.

Expressing Time Elapsed

Another essential use of haver is expressing how long ago something happened. This construction is equivalent to ago in English.

Examples with time expressions:
Eu cheguei há duas horas. (I arrived two hours ago.)
Ela mora aqui há cinco anos. (She has lived here for five years.)
Eles se casaram há muito tempo. (They got married a long time ago.)
Há três dias que não como pizza. (It has been three days since I ate pizza.)

In these time expressions, há always refers to a time period that started in the past and relates to the present moment. This is different from faz, which can be used similarly but with slightly different emphasis.

Haver in Formal and Literary Contexts

In older Portuguese texts, formal documents, and literary language, you’ll sometimes find haver used to express possession, similar to how English once used to have in phrases like I have a feeling. This usage is archaic in modern Portuguese but appears in fixed expressions.

Literary or formal examples:
Haja o que houver, continuaremos. (Come what may, we will continue.)
Há de se considerar todas as opções. (One must consider all options.)
Não há de quê. (You’re welcome. / It’s nothing.)

These expressions are worth learning because they appear in formal speech and writing, but you wouldn’t use haver for possession in everyday conversation.

Common Expressions and Idioms with Haver

Fixed Phrases You Should Memorize

Certain expressions with haver are fixed in Portuguese and should be learned as complete units. These phrases are commonly used and will make your Portuguese sound more natural.

Essential expressions:
Não há de quê. (You’re welcome.)
Há quanto tempo! (Long time no see!)
Se há algo que eu possa fazer… (If there’s anything I can do…)
Há algo errado? (Is something wrong?)
Há chances de isso acontecer. (There are chances of this happening.)

These phrases are idiomatic, meaning you can’t always translate them word-for-word. Learning them as complete expressions will help you use them correctly in conversation.

Haver with Que: Necessity and Obligation

The expression haver de can express determination or future intention, though it’s somewhat formal and less common in modern Brazilian Portuguese than ter que.

Examples:
Eu hei de conseguir. (I shall succeed.)
Você há de entender um dia. (You will understand one day.)
Nós havemos de vencer. (We shall overcome.)

This construction sounds formal or even literary in Brazilian Portuguese. In everyday speech, people prefer ter que or precisar (to need) for expressing necessity.

Regional and Stylistic Variations

Brazilian Portuguese vs European Portuguese

The use of haver versus ter shows some variation between Brazilian and European Portuguese, particularly in spoken language. In Brazil, the informal use of ter for existence (Tem alguém aí?) is much more common than in Portugal, where haver tends to be maintained even in casual speech.

Brazilian informal: Tem gente esperando lá fora.
European Portuguese: Há gente à espera lá fora.
Formal both varieties: Há pessoas esperando lá fora.

For learners focusing on Brazilian Portuguese, understanding that both forms exist but that há is correct for formal situations will serve you well. If you’re learning European Portuguese, prioritize using haver for existence statements even in casual contexts.

Spoken vs Written Language

The biggest difference in using haver and ter comes down to register—whether you’re speaking informally or writing formally. In text messages, casual conversations with friends, or informal emails, Brazilians frequently use ter for existence. In formal writing, presentations, academic papers, or professional communications, haver is required.

Think of it like the difference between saying gonna and going to in English. Both are understood, but one is appropriate for essays while the other is fine for chatting with friends.

Conjugating Haver vs Ter: Key Differences

Present Tense Conjugations

Understanding how these verbs conjugate helps you use them correctly. The verb ter is regular in its pattern, while haver has some irregularities.

Present tense of ter:
Eu tenho (I have)
Você/Ele/Ela tem (You have / He/She has)
Nós temos (We have)
Vocês/Eles/Elas têm (You all have / They have)

Present tense of haver (when used personally, which is rare):
Eu hei
Você/Ele/Ela há
Nós havemos
Vocês/Eles/Elas hão

However, remember that when haver means there is/there are, it only appears as há in the present tense, regardless of what follows.

Past Tense Considerations

In the past tense, both verbs are commonly used, but again, for existence statements, haver remains impersonal.

Past tense of ter (preterite):
Eu tive um carro. (I had a car.)
Nós tivemos sorte. (We were lucky.)

Past tense of haver for existence:
Havia muitas pessoas na festa. (There were many people at the party.)
Houve um problema ontem. (There was a problem yesterday.)

Note that havia (imperfect) and houve (preterite) are both used for existence in the past, with havia indicating ongoing existence and houve indicating a completed event.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Using Haver When You Need Ter

One common mistake learners make is trying to use haver for possession because they’ve learned it means to have. Remember: in modern Portuguese, ter is always used for possession.

Incorrect: Eu hei um carro.
Correct: Eu tenho um carro.

Incorrect: Ela havia dois irmãos.
Correct: Ela tinha dois irmãos.

The only exception is in very archaic or literary Portuguese, which you’re unlikely to use in everyday situations.

Conjugating Haver Incorrectly in Existence Statements

Another frequent error is conjugating haver to agree with the following noun when using it for existence. Remember: haver is impersonal in these contexts and doesn’t conjugate.

Incorrect: Hão muitas pessoas aqui.
Correct: Há muitas pessoas aqui.

Incorrect: Haviam problemas com o sistema.
Correct: Havia problemas com o sistema.

Always use the third person singular form, even when talking about plural things.

Confusing Time Expressions

When expressing time ago, learners sometimes confuse the use of há with other time expressions. Remember that há comes before the time period and means ago.

Correct: Eu cheguei há uma hora. (I arrived an hour ago.)
Correct: Faz uma hora que eu cheguei. (It’s been an hour since I arrived.)

Both express similar meanings but with different structures. With há, the time expression follows directly. With faz, you need the que clause.

Practical Tips for Mastery

Start with Clear Rules

Begin by memorizing the basic guideline: use ter for possession and personal situations (I have a car, I am hungry, I am 25 years old), and use haver for existence (there is, there are) and time ago expressions. Once you have this foundation solid, you can start noticing the variations in informal speech.

Practice with Common Phrases

Create flashcards or practice lists with the most common expressions using each verb. Focus on high-frequency phrases like:

With ter: tenho fome, tenho que ir, tenho vinte anos, tenho um carro
With haver: há pessoas, há um problema, há muito tempo, há dois anos

Drilling these common patterns will make correct usage automatic.

Read and Listen Actively

Pay attention to how native speakers use these verbs in context. Watch Brazilian shows, read news articles, or listen to podcasts, and notice when haver versus ter appears. You’ll start to develop an intuition for which verb fits which context.

Write and Get Feedback

Practice writing sentences and short paragraphs using both verbs, then ask a native speaker or teacher to review your work. Writing helps solidify the rules because you have time to think about which verb is appropriate, unlike in conversation where you need to respond quickly.

Don’t Stress About Informal Variations

If you hear Brazilians saying Tem muita gente aqui instead of Há muita gente aqui in casual conversation, don’t worry. Recognize that this informal usage exists, but prioritize learning the formal rule first. As you become more advanced, you’ll naturally pick up when informal variations are appropriate.

Context Matters: Choosing the Right Verb

Ultimately, choosing between haver and ter comes down to understanding context. Ask yourself these questions:

Am I expressing possession or a personal state? Use ter.
Am I stating that something exists or is present? Use haver (formally) or ter (informally).
Am I talking about time elapsed? Use haver.
Am I speaking formally or writing? Prefer haver for existence.
Am I in casual conversation? Ter for existence is widely accepted.

With practice and exposure, these choices will become increasingly natural. The key is to start with the standard rules and then gradually incorporate the variations you hear in authentic Portuguese.

Conclusion

Mastering the difference between haver and ter is a significant milestone in your Portuguese learning journey. While both can translate to to have in English, they serve distinct functions in Portuguese. Use ter as your default verb for possession, states, age, and obligations. Reserve haver for formal existence statements, time ago expressions, and fixed phrases. Remember that informal Brazilian Portuguese often uses ter where formal grammar requires haver, but learning the standard rules first will give you a solid foundation for all contexts.