Have something done and get something done
Someone else does the job: I had my hair cut, we're getting the car fixed. And bad luck: she had her bag stolen.
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Have + object + past participle says that someone else does a job for us, usually because we ask or pay them. Get + object + past participle means the same and is more informal. The same structure also describes something bad that happens to us: I had my bag stolen.
Structure | Example |
|---|---|
have + object + past participle | I had my hair cut. |
get + object + past participle | I got my hair cut. |
Someone does it for you
Compare the active, where you do the job yourself, with have something done, where a professional does it.
- I cut my hair myself. (I did it.)
- I had my hair cut yesterday. (A hairdresser did it.)
- We had the kitchen painted last month.
- You should have your eyes tested.
- Incorrect: I cut my hair at the hairdresser's yesterday.
- Correct: I had my hair cut at the hairdresser's yesterday.The hairdresser did the cutting, so use have + object + past participle. I cut my hair says you did it yourself.
Word order: the object in the middle
The object goes between have and the past participle. A different order gives a different structure or no sentence at all.
- Incorrect: I'm going to have cut my hair tomorrow.
- Correct: I'm going to have my hair cut tomorrow.The object (my hair) comes before the past participle.
- I had my hair cut. (Someone cut it for me.)
- I had cut my hair. (Past perfect: I had done it myself, before another past moment.)
Every tense: only have changes
Have is an ordinary verb here, so it changes for the tense and takes do, does, did in questions and negatives.
- We're having a new kitchen fitted this week.
- I've just had my car serviced.
- She needs to have her passport renewed.
- Where do you have your hair cut?
- We didn't have the house cleaned before we moved in.
- Incorrect: Did you had your watch repaired?
- Correct: Did you have your watch repaired?After did, use have, not had.
Get something done
Get + object + past participle is common in everyday speech and means the same as have something done.
- I need to get my phone repaired.
- Where do you get your hair cut?
- We got the windows cleaned last week.
Get something done can also mean that you finish a job yourself, often with effort: I must get this report finished by Friday. The context tells you who does the work.
Bad experiences: had my bag stolen
The same structure describes something unpleasant that someone else did to you. Nobody asked for it to happen.
- She had her phone stolen on the train.
- We had our flight cancelled at the last minute.
- He had his nose broken in a fight.
- Incorrect: I was stolen my bag on holiday.
- Correct: I had my bag stolen on holiday. / My bag was stolen on holiday.The bag was stolen, not you. Use have + object + past participle, or make the bag the subject.
In everyday speech get is also used here: I got my phone stolen.
Have someone do, get someone to do
To say who does the job, use have + person + verb or get + person + to + verb. Get someone to do often means you persuade them.
- I'll have the receptionist call you a taxi.
- I got my brother to help me move the sofa.
- Can you get someone to look at the heating?
- Incorrect: I got my neighbour water the plants while I was away.
- Correct: I got my neighbour to water the plants while I was away.Get + person is followed by to + verb. Have + person is followed by the verb without to.