Understanding the "Have Something Done" Construction

The "Have something done" construction is a fundamental aspect of English grammar, particularly useful when describing actions performed by others on our behalf. This page delves into its meaning, structure, and various applications.

Meaning and Usage

The "Have something done" construction is employed when we want to express that someone else, typically a professional or specialist, performs an action for us.

Definition: Literally, this expression means "to have something done by someone else."

Highlight: In Polish, sentences using this construction are often translated similarly to sentences describing performing the action oneself.

Structure

The basic structure of this construction is:

SUBJECT + HAVE + OBJECT + PAST PARTICIPLE (III FORM OF THE VERB)

Example: I have my hair cut every month.

Tense Variations

The "Have something done" construction can be used in various tenses:

1. Present Simple: "I have my hair cut every month."
2. Present Continuous: "We are having our kitchen redecorated."
3. Present Perfect: "They have had their car washed."
4. Past Simple: "We had our computer built."
5. Past Continuous: "She was having her phone repaired."
6. Future Simple: "He will have his gift wrapped."
7. Be going to: "I am going to have a garage built."

Example: "We are having our kitchen redecorated" translates to "Remontują nam kuchnię" in Polish.

Get Something Done

An alternative to using "have" in this construction is to use "get," especially in colloquial speech.

Example: "We had new windows fitted" = "We got new windows fitted."

This page provides a comprehensive overview of the "Have something done" construction, offering examples and explanations to help learners master this important grammatical concept.