What are the definitions of “have over”?
Learn how to use these expressions through these examples
- 1Receive a guest.
Shall we HAVE them OVER for dinner?
What’s the most common meaning of the phrasal verb “have over”?
The most common meaning of the phrasal verb have over is to invite someone to your home as a guest, usually for a meal or a social gathering. For example, you can have your friends over for a party or have your family over for dinner.
What are the different verb forms of “have over”?
| Root Verb | have over |
| Third Person Singular Present | has over |
| Present Participle | having over |
| Simple Past | had over |
| Past Participle | had over |
Example
We have our neighbors over for a barbecue every summer.
Example
She has her friends over for a movie night once a month.
Example
They are having their relatives over for the holidays.
Example
Last weekend, we had some friends over for a game night.
Example
We had our cousins over for dinner last night.
What kind of phrasal verb is “have over”?
Notes from a Native English Speaker
What is a transitive and intransitive verb? - A transitive verb always has an object after it. (Example: Sam bought a car.) - An intransitive verb never has an object.(Example: She laughed loudly.)
Transitive verb
“have over” is a transitive phrasal verb because it requires a direct object to complete its meaning. The direct object specifies what is being removed, obtained, or eliminated.
Example
We had our friends over for dinner.
Example
She had her family over for the weekend.
Notes from a Native English Speaker
What is a separable and inseparable phrasal verb? - A “separable phrasal verb” can be separated with an object between the verb and particle. - An “inseparable phrasal verb” cannot be separated by an object.
Inseparable
“have over” is an inseparable phrasal verb. This means that you can’t place an object between the verb and the particle, otherwise, it changes the meaning of the phrasal verb.
Example
We had our friends over for dinner.
Example
She had her family over for the weekend.
What are common phrases and expressions that include the phrasal verb “have over”?
Good things to know
Does “have over” have an informal or formal tone?
Have over is a neutral to informal phrasal verb. It is commonly used in everyday conversations and casual contexts. In more formal settings, you might use alternatives like 'invite' or 'host' instead.
