How to Say "Had" in Old English

hæfde

The English word 'had' is translated into Old English as hæfde.

hæfde is used as the past tense of the verb to indicate possession or a state in the past.

How does it change in a sentence?

hæfde is the preterite form of the verb hæfwan (to have). This form remains the same regardless of the person or number of the subject.

The roots of hæfde are deeply connected to the concept of 'grasping' or 'holding' something firmly, rather than just the legal right to an object.
The letter 'æ' in hæfde is called a 'ash', a symbol that survives in some phonetic alphabets but vanished from standard English printing centuries ago.
In Old English poetry, the word hæfde could be used to describe 'having' a certain quality or fate, blending physical possession with metaphysical destiny.

Hēo hæfde ān ǣnliċ wīf.
She had an excellent wife.
This sentence shows the use of hæfde to describe a person's relationship or possession.
Tatoeba #8607615 by shekitten, translation #8607611 by shekitten
Hēo hæfde fæġeru ēagan.
She had pretty eyes.
This sentence demonstrates using hæfde to describe physical attributes.
Tatoeba #13904372 by rul, translation #12277865 by Miktsoanit
Sēo cwēn hæfde þrīe dohtor.
The queen had three daughters.
This sentence illustrates hæfde in the context of royal family members.
Tatoeba #13896828 by rul, translation #13001811 by rul
He þōhte þæt he gesāwe āncennedne gast.
He thought he had seen a ghost
Wē þōhton þæt wē hatten genōh tīm(e).
We thought we had enough time.
4 more sentences on Tatoeba

Osric and Mildryth are discussing a lost item.

Sources

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