Russian Vocabulary (and Wisdom)

How to say "to have" in Russian

This Russian word is one of the top 1000 words in Russian. The complete list of most common Russian words is available here.

иметь

Meaning: to have, to own, (slang) to have sex

Pronunciation: [ee-MYEHT']

Part of speech: verb (This verb is rarely used to express possession in spoken Russian. It is more common in formal Russian and idioms.)

Rank: #127 (see frequency list)

Example sentences:

Она́ име́ет пра́во быть счастли́вой.
She has the right to be happy.
Ка́ждый стомато́лог должен име́ть медици́нскую лице́нзию.
Every dentist must have a medical license.
Росси́я име́ет большу́ю а́рмию.
Russia has a large army.
Похо́жая ситуа́ция име́ла ме́сто в про́шлом году́.
A similar situation took place last year.
Что вы имее́те в виду́?
What do you mean?
literal What do you have in view?
Ка́ждый челове́к име́ет како́й-ли́бо недоста́ток.
Every person has some drawbacks.
Я не хочу́ име́ть с ним никако́го де́ла.
I don't want to have anything to do with him.

Idioms and set expressions:

иметь место = to take place
иметь значение = to matter
иметь в виду = to mean; to have in mind; to intend
иметь большое значение = to be of great importance
иметь существенное значение = to be essential
не иметь значения = to be of no importance
иметь вкус = to have a taste
иметь запах = to smell
иметь успех = to have success, be successful
ничего не иметь против = to have nothing against
иметь дело с кем-либо = to deal with smb.
иметь важный вид = to have an air of importance; to lump large
иметь физическую близость с кем-либо = to be intimately close with smb.; to make love
не иметь права = to have no right; to be not allowed to
иметь счёты с кем-либо = to have a crow to pick with smb.
иметь голову на плечах = to have a good head on one's shoulders
иметь зуб на кого-либо = to bear a grudge against smb.
иметь кислый вид = to have acid looks; to pull a long face
иметь козыри на руках = to have the game in one's own hands
иметь нюх на что-либо = to have a flair for smth.
иметь твёрдую почву под ногами = to stand on solid ground

Proverbs and sayings:

Не имей сто рублей, а имей сто друзей.
A faithful friend is better than gold.
literal Don't have hundred rubles, rather have hundred friends.
Волков бояться -- дров не иметь.
Being afraid of wolfs do not go to the forest.
Голодное брюхо ушей не имеет.
Hungry bellies have no ears.
Чем больше имеешь, тем большего хочется.
The more you have, the more you want.
Что имеем, не храним, потерявши -- плачем.
We do not care of what we have, but we cry when it is lost.
Щедрость не имеет пределов.
Generosity has no bounds.

Verb conjugation:

Present Tense

The perfective verb иметь is not used in the Present Tense. Use the imperfective verb иметь instead.

Past Tense

Future Simple Tense

The imperfective verb иметь is not used in the Future Simple Tense.

Imperative Mood (Command Form)

Phrase recordings: Copyright(c) 2011 MasterRussian.com. All rights reserved.
Word recordings: Copyright(c) 2006 Streit Goulnara, Streit Eric, Vion Nicolas. Copyright(c) 2007 S. Sakhno, N. Vion. Distributed under CC-BY.

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