Hey there! This is TOP episode 324. HAVE vs HAVING
You read English. You understand English. You’ve been learning for years, but when it’s time to speak your mind just freezes, and the words don’t come out. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. My name’s Ola, and this is Teacher Ola Podcast. I’m here to help you finally speak out loud. This isn’t about perfect grammar or fancy vocabulary. This is about your voice. Your words. Your real English.
Before we start, let me talk to you for a moment – not as a teacher, not as someone “explaining grammar”, but just as a person who knows exactly what you’re dealing with.
If English tenses feel like your biggest problem… you’re not imagining it.
You can know the rules. You can understand them when you read. You can even do exercises and get them right.
And then you open your mouth… and everything disappears.
You hesitate. You freeze. You start guessing. Or you choose to stay quiet, because staying silent feels safer than saying the wrong thing.
And here’s the thing no one really tells you.
This is not because you’re bad at languages. It’s not because you’re lazy. And it’s definitely not because you “haven’t done enough grammar exercises”.
The real problem is that Polish and English think about time in completely different ways.
English is built on ideas about experience, results, and perspective.
Polish simply doesn’t work like that. Some of these ideas don’t exist in Polish at all and some exist, but in a totally different form.
So when you’re trying to choose a tense, you’re not choosing between grammar rules.
You’re trying to translate a way of thinking that doesn’t translate.
That’s also why apps don’t really help. I’m not anti-technology, not at all. There is potential there.
But none of the popular apps were designed for Polish speakers.
None of them explain what actually clashes between Polish and English.
And neither does learning “with a native speaker” who doesn’t know Polish and can’t see what’s happening in your head.
On February 1st, at 8 p.m., I’m running a free live webinar called “English Tenses vs Poles.” I’m not going to give you a miracle method because those don’t exist. But I will show you where the real problem is, why grammar rules alone don’t work, and how you can make English tenses finally start to feel logical instead of stressful.
I’ll show you the Polish code behind English tenses.
I’ll also convince you that there aren’t really twelve tenses. There are two. And once you see that, your whole perspective on grammar changes. If this sounds like something you need, not more rules, but clarity you can sign up at teacherola.com/polacy.
Alright. Now let’s get into today’s episode.
The verb “have” is one of the most flexible verbs in English, but also one of the most restricted. It can behave as a stative verb or as a dynamic verb, depending entirely on meaning and context. This difference determines whether the verb can appear in continuous forms or not.
In many situations, “have” is stative. Stative verbs describe states, conditions, relationships, or possession. When “have” is used in this way, it cannot be used in any continuous tense.
When “have” refers to possession of things, people, or abstract ideas, it is stative.
I have a job.
She has a passport.
They have several employees.
In these sentences, “have” expresses possession or a stable relationship. Even if the situation feels current or relevant right now, the verb does not describe an action unfolding in time. For that reason, forms like “I’m having a job” or “The company is having employees” are not correct.
The same stative behaviour applies to abstract concepts.
I have an idea.
He has an account in the bank.
She has a suggestion.
Even though ideas or suggestions may appear suddenly, English still treats them as abstract states, not actions. The continuous form is not possible here.
“Have” is also stative when describing qualities or characteristics.
He has strong leadership skills.
She has a lot of confidence.
They have excellent communication abilities.
Again, these are states, not activities.
Time expressions behave in the same way.
I have a few minutes before the meeting.
We have plenty of time today.
Here, “have” describes availability, not an action.
Health conditions that describe a general state are also stative.
He has a headache.
She has a back problem.
However, “have” does not always behave this way. In certain contexts, it becomes dynamic. When “have” refers to an event, an experience, or an activity, it can be used in continuous forms.
One common dynamic use involves events or planned activities.
We’re having a meeting this afternoon.
They’re having a conference next week.
In these cases, “have” refers to an event that takes place over time. Because it functions dynamically, both simple and continuous forms are possible depending on perspective. If you want to highlight these are your plans, use a continuous, dynamic form. ‘Having’.
Experiences are another context in which “have” becomes dynamic.
She’s having a difficult week.
They’re having a great time on their trip.
Here, the speaker presents the situation as something unfolding, limited in time. It’s happening right now.
Meals and drinks are a very clear example of dynamic “have”.
I’m having lunch right now.
He’s having a coffee with a colleague.
In these sentences, “have” means eating or drinking, which are actions. This is why the continuous form is natural.
Health-related expressions can also become dynamic when they describe something urgent or happening at the moment.
She’s having trouble breathing.
It is important to separate all of these uses from “having” as a gerund. The form “having” does not automatically signal a continuous tense. It can function as a noun.
Nothing compares to having free time.
This sentence is correct. “Having” refers to the general experience or concept, not to an action in progress.
I enjoy having quiet mornings.
Having no clear plan can be refreshing.
In these examples, “having” names an experience rather than describing something happening now.
The crucial difference between Polish and English lies in how English forces the speaker to categorise situations grammatically. English requires a decision about whether “have” describes a state, an event, an experience, or an activity. Polish leaves this distinction to context and vocabulary, not verb form.
This is why learners struggle with “I have” versus “I’m having”. The issue is not the tense itself, but the underlying meaning assigned to the situation. Understanding that distinction is the key to using one of the most common English verbs accurately and confidently.
Now, let’s make you speak. Time to open your mouth and move your tongue. Listen and repeat out loud. Let’s go!
They have several employees.
He has strong leadership skills.
We have plenty of time today.
He has a headache.
We’re having a meeting this afternoon.
She’s having a difficult week.
I’m having lunch right now.
He’s having a coffee with a colleague.
She’s having trouble breathing.
Nothing compares to having free time.
And that’s a quick wrap-up of episode 324. If today’s episode gave you a clearer view of how English really works behind the scenes, I’d love to invite you to my upcoming webinar English Tenses vs Poles – Angielskie czasy versus Polacy. We’ll explore the most common tense mistakes Polish learners make, why they happen, and how to finally choose the right tense with confidence. Just a short, practical session designed to help you connect the dots once and for all. The webinar takes place on Saturday, 1st of February at 8 p.m., and you can sign up at teacherola.com/polacy.
That’s all from me for now. Don’t forget to head to teacherola.com/324 and grab your free worksheet – it’ll help you revise the key phrases from this episode. And if you want to practice speaking regularly, new groups are forming inside my Voice Loop program. You can check all the details and sign up at teacherola.com/grupy.
Thank you so much for listening. Stay fearless, take care, and say it out loud. I’m your teacher, Teacher Ola, and you’ve been listening to the Teacher Ola Podcast. bYE FOR NOW!