Have vs Hold

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Have

High-frequency chunk A1 verb

Hold

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 verb

	Have	Hold
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/həv//əv//hæv/","/həz//əz//hæz/","/həd//əd//hæd/","/ˈhævɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/həv//əv//hæv/","/həz//əz//hæz/","/həd//əd//hæd/","/ˈhævɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/həʊld/","/həʊldz/","/held/","/ˈhəʊldɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/həʊld/","/həʊldz/","/held/","/ˈhəʊldɪŋ/"]/
Meaning	To own, possess, or hold something.	To have something in your hands or arms.
Example	I have a cat that loves to play.	Please hold this book while I grab my bag.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	High-frequency chunk	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	A1	A2
Part of speech	verb	verb
Collocations	have a good time, have lunch, have a conversation, have an idea, have a problem	firmly, securely, tightly, commonly, widely, deeply
Antonyms	lack, want, needs	release, let go, drop
Common mistakes	'Have' wrongly used instead of 'has' with third-person singular (e.g., 'He have a car')., Confused with 'has' in terms of subject-verb agreement., Mixing up 'have' with 'take' in expressions like 'have a nap' (shouldn't say 'take a nap' in all contexts).	Confused with 'held' in past tense forms., Using 'hold' when referring to emotional support instead of 'support'., Mistakenly used as 'hold on' in formal writing.
Usage notes	Used in various contexts to indicate possession or experiences. Commonly used in both spoken and written English. It's versatile but may not be appropriate in very formal writing.	Used in both formal and informal contexts. Avoid using it in very formal writing for physical holding; instead, use 'grasp' or 'clutch.'

See it in real clips

Succession › S1 E1

- Hold that, will you? - So...

Game Of Thrones › S1 E1

You want to hold it?

House Of Cards › S1 E1

Please hold. Zoe Barnes.

Succession › S1 E1

- Hold that, will you? - So...

Game Of Thrones › S1 E1

You want to hold it?

Hold

Frequently asked questions: Have vs Hold

What's the difference between Have and Hold?

Have: To own, possess, or hold something. Hold: To have something in your hands or arms.

Which is more advanced: Have and Hold?

Hold is the highest level, at A2, on the CEFR scale.

Are Have and Hold the same CEFR level?

Have: A1, Hold: A2 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Have and Hold?

Have: verb, Hold: verb.

Can you show an example of each?

Have: I have a cat that loves to play. Hold: Please hold this book while I grab my bag.

Can I use Have and Hold interchangeably?

Not always. Have and Hold are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.