English · A2 · verb · 4 minutes
Have: past simple
Use had for every subject and did + have in questions/negatives.
Understand the choice
Had covers possession and experiences in a finished past frame. Unlike present have/has, it has no subject variation.
Core rule: Had is the past form for all subjects; questions/negatives use did + base have.
Notice it in context
We had a problem with the booking.
Tuvimos un problema con la reserva.
Had follows we and takes problem; with booking specifies the affected arrangement.
She had good luck yesterday.
Good luck affected her yesterday.
Had is unchanged with she.
Did you have enough time?
Was sufficient time available to you?
Did carries past; have returns to base form.
What to remember
- Had had is grammatical past perfect, studied later.
- Have breakfast becomes had breakfast in past.
Common trap: Do not write did you had.