Has is a common verb that shows possession or relationship. When you say “Maria has a bicycle,” you're telling us the bicycle belongs to Maria. When you say “The library has thousands of books,” you're describing what the library contains or owns.

The word also indicates that something is part of someone or something else. A triangle has three sides. Your best friend has brown eyes. The school has a playground. These statements describe qualities, features, or characteristics that belong to or are connected with someone or something.

Has can also show that someone is experiencing something or that something is happening to them. If your brother has a cold, he's sick with it right now. If someone has an idea, a thought exists in their mind. If a student has homework, they're responsible for completing it.

The word works as the present tense of “have” when talking about a single person or thing (he, she, or it). You might say “I have a pencil” but “she has a pencil.” This small word appears constantly in English because we're always talking about what belongs to whom, what qualities things possess, and what experiences people are having.