ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hast

v.
C2 Proficiency US //ˈhæst// UK //hˈeɪst// hast Archaic

v. an old-fashioned way to say 'have'. It is only used with the word 'thou' when talking to one person.

v. the archaic second-person singular present tense of 'have'. Used exclusively with the pronoun 'thou' in early modern English texts.


SIMPLE

Thou hast a kind heart.

CONTEXTUAL

In the old play, the king tells his son that he hast the strength of ten men.

COMPLEX

While modern readers often find the conjugation difficult, recognizing that 'hast' corresponds to 'have' is essential for understanding the poetry and drama of the Elizabethan era.

Origin

From Middle English hast, havest, second-person present singular form of haven, from Old English hæfst, hafast, second-person present singular form of habban, from Proto-Germanic habaisi, second-person present singular form of habjaną; equivalent to have + -est. Compare German and West Frisian hast.

Usage

Used only with the archaic pronoun 'thou'; functions as the second-person singular present indicative.

Pitfall

You hast a bookThou hast a book'Hast' is specifically paired with the archaic pronoun 'thou' and cannot be used with 'you'.

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