Signs for HAVE

When translating from one language (English or any language) to another (ASL), word-for-word translation doesn't contain the same meaning in one language from another language.

ASL signs for HAVE

The verb "have" in English has many different concepts; thus, there are different ASL signs for different meanings in sentences.

Meaning: To possess, own, or hold.

Two-handed sign in formal citation.

Either one-handed or two-handed sign can be used interchangeably in everyday conversations.

Another meaning in ASL is to show existence of something.

Related signs: POSSESS, OWN.

Phrasal verbs

have to:

Meaning: To be obliged or find it necessary to do the specified thing; need or be obliged to do (something); be strongly recommended to do something.

Related signs: MUST.


have seen:

Meaning: been there; have seen, have done (something) before.

Usage example: "I have seen him at the park". Use FINISH+SEE for this context.

Opposite meaning: have not seen; have not done before.

Use other signs like SEE + NOT-YET, SEE + NONE.


have been to

Used to say that one has gone to a place or has visited a place; a place that one has been to.

ASL compound glossed as: FINISH+TOUCH.

Other meanings

Meaning: not accept; refuse to tolerate.

For example, the English sentence "I can't have you insulting Bob like that", you cannot use the ASL sign, HAVE. Instead, you use the concept: "not ACCEPT; refuse to tolerate"; that is NOT+ACCEPT(neg).

Vocabulary

Related signs: RETAIN, not have / don't have.

Deaf History

Old ASL: this sign HAVE was seen signing by George Veditz in his 1913 film, "Preservation of the Sign Language".

"But fortunately we have several masters of our sign language still with us." -- Transcript.

First 100 words.

  1. again
  2. also
  3. ask
  4. bad
  5. boy
  6. but
  7. can
  8. come
  9. deaf
  10. different
  11. drink
  12. drive
  13. eat
  14. email
  15. excuse
  16. family
  17. feel
  18. few
  19. find
  20. fine
  21. fingerspell
  22. finish
  23. food
  24. for
  25. forget
  26. friend
  27. get
  28. girl
  29. give
  30. go
  31. good
  32. have, has, had
  33. he
  34. hearing
  35. hello
  36. help
  37. home
  38. how
  39. Internet
  40. know
  41. later
  42. like (feeling)
  43. little
  44. live
  45. man
  46. many
  47. me
  48. meet
  49. more
  50. my
  51. name
  52. need
  53. new
  54. no
  55. not
  56. now
  57. ok, okay
  58. old
  59. other
  60. please
  61. remember
  62. same
  63. say
  64. school
  65. see
  66. she
  67. should
  68. sign, signed word
  69. slow
  70. some
  71. sorry
  72. store
  73. take
  74. tell
  75. text, sms
  76. thank, thank you
  77. their
  78. they
  79. think
  80. time
  81. tired
  82. try
  83. understand
  84. use
  85. wait
  86. want
  87. what
  88. when
  89. where
  90. which
  91. who
  92. why
  93. will
  94. with
  95. woman
  96. work
  97. write
  98. yes
  99. you
  100. your

As you feel more comfortable with the first few hundreds of ASL signs, progress further with your vocabulary and learn signing more.