Have a go vs Try

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

Have a go

Informal Top 5,000 (fairly common)

Try

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 verb

Most formal: Try Most common: Try

	Have a go	Try
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //hæv ə ɡəʊ// 🇺🇸 //hæv ə ɡoʊ//	🇬🇧 /["/traɪ/","/traɪz/","/traɪd/","/ˈtraɪɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/traɪ/","/traɪz/","/traɪd/","/ˈtraɪɪŋ/"]/
Meaning	Try something	to make an effort to do something
Example	You should **have a go** at painting; it’s really fun!	I will try my best to finish the project on time.
Register	Informal	Neutral
How common	Top 5,000 (fairly common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	-	A1
Part of speech		verb
Collocations	have a go at something, have a go at doing something, let's have a go, give it a go, have a go together	desperately, frantically, furiously, decide to, dare (somebody) to, bother to, be just trying to do something, be only trying to do something, give up trying, desperately, frantically, furiously, decide to, dare (somebody) to, bother to, be just trying to do something, be only trying to do something, give up trying
Antonyms	-	give up, quit, avoid
Common mistakes	Using 'have a go' without 'at' incorrectly., Confusing it with 'have a try', which is similar but less common., Incorrect verb forms after 'go', e.g., saying 'have a go to swim'.	Using 'try' with a noun instead of a verb (e.g., 'try a bike' instead of 'try riding a bike'), Confusing 'try' with 'test' — 'try' suggests effort, while 'test' implies evaluation, Using 'try' without context, making the intention unclear
Usage notes	Used in casual conversations when encouraging someone to try an activity. Less formal than 'attempt'.	Use 'try' when suggesting attempts. It's suitable for informal and formal settings. Avoid using it with absolute outcomes, as it conveys effort rather than guarantee.

See it in real clips

Top Gear › S1 E1

Have a go. Here we go. Let's get to the fuel.

Have a go

Agent Carter › S1 E1

I try not to be,

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

and try to counteract that.

Breaking Bad › S1 E5

Ahem. Um, hey, did you try those prosciutto-wrapped figs?

Agent Carter › S1 E1

I try not to be,

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

and try to counteract that.

Try

Frequently asked questions: Have a go vs Try

What's the difference between Have a go and Try?

Have a go: Try something Try: to make an effort to do something

Which is more formal: Have a go and Try?

Try is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Have a go and Try?

Try is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Have a go: You should **have a go** at painting; it’s really fun! Try: I will try my best to finish the project on time.

Can I use Have a go and Try interchangeably?

Not always. Have a go and Try 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.