Beginner German learners often struggle with the verbs "sein" (to be) and "haben" (to have) because they function differently than their English counterparts in several ways.
"Sein" and "haben" are used in various ways that don’t always align with English usage:
-
Sein (to be) is used to describe states of being, locations, and characteristics, much like in English. However, German also uses "sein" in some cases where English would use "have."
-
Haben (to have) is generally used to express possession, just like in English. But it's also used in ways that might seem unusual to English speakers. For example, in German, you say "Ich habe Hunger" (literally "I have hunger") instead of "I am hungry."
We have collected some exercises for you to practice when to use sein and when to use haben in German.
Exercise 1: Sein / Haben
A first round to feel out the difference. Use sein for states and identity (Ich bin müde, Sie ist Lehrerin) and haben for possession (Du hast einen Hund).
Exercise 2: Sein / Haben
This round mixes everyday descriptions with present-perfect sentences (haben gekauft, ist gelaufen) — a sneak peek at how sein and haben work as auxiliaries for past actions.
Exercise 3: Sein / Haben
A final round across both meanings. Note the German idioms — Wir haben Hunger, Sie hat Geburtstag — where German uses haben even when English would use "to be".