Have Something Done
Using have/get + object + past participle for services and things done by others
When Someone Else Does It for You
When you arrange for another person to do something for you, use have + object + past participle.
The roof of Lisa’s house was damaged. She called a builder, and he came and repaired it. Lisa had the roof repaired.
Lisa didn’t repair the roof herself. She arranged for somebody else to do it.
Compare these two sentences:
- Lisa repaired the roof. (= she did it herself)
- Lisa had the roof repaired. (= she arranged for somebody else to do it)
In a workplace, you use this structure all the time. You don’t print the company brochures yourself — you have them printed. You don’t fix the office network yourself — you have it fixed by IT.
The Word Order
The structure is always: have + object + past participle
| Subject | have | Object | Past participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lisa | had | the roof | repaired |
| Where did you | have | your hair | cut? |
| We | are having | the house | painted |
| I think you should | have | that coat | cleaned |
The object always comes before the past participle:
- How often do you have your car serviced? (not
have serviced your car) - Our neighbour is having a garage built. (not
having built a garage) - Your hair looks nice. Did you have it cut?
- I don’t like having my picture taken.
Get Something Done
You can use get instead of have with the same meaning. Get something done is more common in informal speech.
- When are you going to get the roof repaired? (= have the roof repaired)
- I think you should get your hair cut really short.
At work, you will hear both forms:
- We need to get this document translated as soon as possible.
- I’ll have the report proofread before the meeting.
Something Bad That Happens to You
There is a second meaning. Sometimes have something done does not mean “arrange” — it means something happened to you, and you did not want it.
Paul and Karen had their bags stolen while they were travelling.
They did not arrange for somebody to steal their bags. It just happened to them.
More examples of this meaning:
- Gary had his nose broken in a fight. (= his nose was broken)
- Have you ever had your bike stolen?
In a business context:
- The company had its data leaked after a security breach.
- She had her presentation files deleted right before the meeting.
Have vs. Get: Quick Reference
| have something done | get something done |
|---|---|
| Neutral / slightly formal | Slightly informal |
| We’re having the office redecorated. | We’re getting the office redecorated. |
| She had her laptop repaired. | She got her laptop repaired. |
Both forms are correct. Choose whichever fits the tone of the situation.
Quick Self-Check
'Sarah _____ her car serviced once a year.' Choose the correct form.
Select your answer:
'I didn't repair the laptop myself. I _____ .' Choose the correct completion.
Select your answer:
'We need to _____ this document translated as soon as possible.' Choose the correct word.
Select your answer:
'Paul and Karen _____ their bags stolen while they were travelling.' What does this sentence mean?
Select your answer:
'How often do you _____ ?' Choose the correct word order.
Select your answer: