had
Used to form the past perfect tense, expressing an action that took place prior to a…Used to form the past perfect tense, expressing an action that took place prior to a reference point that is itself in the past.
Meaning
2 senses(auxiliary)Used to form the past perfect tense, expressing an action that took place prior to a reference point that is itself in the past.
I felt sure that I had seen him before.
When I'd (already) done some exercise, I had a cappuccino.
(archaic, auxiliary)As past subjunctive: would have.
Had I not known you were coming this evening, I'd have left at midday.
Origin
From Middle English hadde (preterite), yhad (past participle), from Old English hæfde (firFrom Middle English hadde (preterite), yhad (past participle), from Old English hæfde (first and third person singular preterite), ġehæfd (past participle), from Proto-Germanic *habdaz, past and past participle stem of *habjaną (“to have”), equivalent to have + -ed. Cognate with Dutch had, German hatte, Swedish hade, Icelandic hafði.
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Forms
hads, hadding, hadded, haddedWord family
4 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- C1Inversion: advanced patterns — Because the lesson uses it
- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- B1Used to and would for past habits — Because of how it combines with other verbs