Have something done

Pasivos

1. Have something done

La forma causativa have something done es una forma de oración pasiva que se usa cuando encargamos a otra persona que haga algo por nosotros.
IMG UNIT 04-01
I have my chimney swept every two years.
Me deshollinan la chimenea cada dos años.
IMG UNIT 04-02
He had his teeth checked last week.
Se hizo un chequeo dental la semana pasada.

2. La estructura del Have something done 

Para formar una oración con la estructura have something done, se colocará primero el sujeto (la persona que se beneficia de la acción), luego se coloca el have en el tiempo verbal correspondiente, después el complemento (lo que recibe la acción del verbo) y el verbo principal en participio pasado.

Sujeto + verbo have + complemento + verbo principal en participio pasado

A continuación mostramos esta estructura en diferentes tiempos verbales.

Verb tense Examples
Present simple I have my hair cut once a month. Me corto el pelo un vez al mes.
I don't have my hair cut once a month. No me corto el pelo una vez al mes.
Do you have your hair cut once a month? ¿Te cortas el pelo una vez al mes?
Present continuous He is having his computer fixed. Le están arreglando el ordenador.
He isn't having his computer fixed. No le están arreglando el ordenador.
Is he having his computer fixed? ¿Le están arreglando el ordenador?
Past simple She had her dress shortened. Le acortaron el vestido.
She didn't have her dress shortened. No le acortaron el vestido.
Did she have her dress shortened? ¿Le acortaron el vestido?
Past continuous She was having her legs waxed. Se estaba depilando las piernas.
She wasn't having her legs waxed. No se estaba deplilando las piernas.
She was having her legs waxed. ¿Se estaba depilando las piernas?
Present perfect We have already had our lock changed. Ya hemos cambiado la cerradura.
We haven't had our lock changed yet. Todavía no hemos cambiado la cerradura.
Have you had your lock changed yet? ¿Ya habéis cambiado la cerradura?
Past perfect He had had his arm tattooed before. Se había tatuado el brazo antes.
He hadn't had his arm tattooed before. No se había tatuado el brazo antes.
Had he had his arm tattooed before? ¿Se había tatuado el brazo antes?
Future will I will have my birthday dinner cooked. Haré que cocinen la cena de mi cumpleaños.
I won't have my birthday dinner cooked. No haré que cocinen la cena de mi cumpleaños.
Will you have your birthday dinner cooked? ¿Harás que cocinen la cena de tu cumpleaños?
Future going to They are going to have their kitchen painted. Van a pintar su cocina.
They aren't going to have their kitchen painted. No van a pintar su cocina.
Are they going to have their kitchen painted? ¿Van a pintar su cocina?

Esta estructura también se utiliza con los verbos modales:

Modal Example
Can Where can I have my work printed? ¿Dónde puedo imprimir mi trabajo?
Must We must have an alarm installed. Tenemos que instalar una alarma.
Might I might have this photo enlarged. Puede que haga ampliar esta foto.
Could We could have a barbecue built in the garden. Podríamos construir una barbacoa en el jardín.
Should You should have your eyes tested. Deberías revisarte la vista.
Would I would have the chairs upholstered. Yo haría tapizar las sillas.

3. Usos del Have something done

La estructura have something done se utiliza principalmente:

  • Cuando encargamos a otra persona que realice un servicio para nosotros. Se acostumbra a utilizar cuando hablamos de profesionales (peluquero, mecánico...).
    Cuando lo hace uno mismo
    IMG UNIT 04-03
    She is dying her hair.
    Se está tiñendo el pelo.
    Cuando lo hace otra persona
    IMG UNIT 04-04
    She is having her hair dyed.
    Le están tiñendo el pelo.
  • Cuando alguien se ve afectado por una acción desagradable que no ha provocado.
    Cuando lo hace uno mismo
    IMG UNIT 04-05
    He broke the window of my car.
    Él rompió la ventana de mi coche.
    Cuando lo hace otra persona
    IMG UNIT 04-06
    I had the window of my car broken.
    Me rompieron las ventanas del coche.

Se puede utilizar el verbo get en lugar del have en contextos informales.

I'm having / getting my motorbike repaired.
Me están arreglando la moto.

¡Recuerda!

La forma causativa have something done es una forma de oración pasiva que se usa cuando encargamos a otra persona que haga algo por nosotros.
Tense Form Structure Examples
Present simple + Sujeto + have / has + complemento + verbo en participio I have the floors polished once a year. Una vez al año hago pulir los suelos.
- Sujeto + don't / doesn't + have + complemento + verbo en participio I don't have the floors polished. Yo no hago pulir los suelos.
? Do / does + sujeto + have + complemento + verbo en participio Do you have the floors polished? ¿Haces pulir los suelos?
Present continuous + Sujeto + am / is / are + having + complemento + verbo en participio She is having her grass cut. Le están cortando el césped.
- Sujeto + am not / isn't / aren't + having + complemento + verbo en participio She isn't having her grass cut. No le están cortando el césped.
? Am / is / are + sujeto + having + complemento + verbo en participio Is she having her grass cut? ¿Le están cortando el césped?
Past simple + Sujeto + had + complemento + verbo en participio We had a photo taken. Nos hicieron una foto.
- Sujeto + didn't + have + complemento + verbo en participio We didn't have a photo taken. No nos hicieron una foto.
? Did + sujeto + have + complemento + verbo en participio Did you have a photo taken? ¿Os hicieron una foto?
Past continuous + Sujeto + was / were + having + complemento + verbo en participio He was having his car cleaned. Le estaban lavando el coche.
- Sujeto + wasn't / weren't + having + complemento + verbo en participio He wasn't having his car cleaned. No le estaban lavando el coche.
? Was / were + sujeto + having + complemento + verbo en participio Was he having his car cleaned? ¿Le estaban lavando el coche?
Present perfect + Sujeto + have / has + had + complemento + verbo en participio I have had a sweater knitted. Me han tejido un jersey.
- Sujeto + haven't / hasn't + had + complemento + verbo en participio I haven't had a sweater knitted. No me han tejido un jersey.
? Have / has + sujeto + had + complemento + verbo en participio Have you had a sweater knitted? ¿Te han tejido un jersey?
Past perfect + Sujeto + had + had + complemento + verbo en participio I had had my ear pierced before. Ya me había hecho un piercing en la oreja.
- Sujeto + hadn't + had + complemento + verbo en participio I hadn't had my ear pierced. Yo no me había hecho un piercing en la oreja.
? Had + sujeto + had + complemento + verbo en participio Had you had your ear pierced before? ¿Te habías hecho un piercing antes?
Future will + Sujeto + will + have + complemento + verbo en participio I will have the shopping delivered. Haré que me traigan la compra.
- Sujeto + won't + have + complemento + verbo en participio I won't have the shopping delivered. No haré que me traigan la compra.
? Will + sujeto + have + complemento + verbo en participio Will you have the shopping delivered? ¿Harás que te traigan la compra?
Future going to + Sujeto + am / is / are + going to + have + complemento + verbo en participio We are going to have the heating installed. Nos van a instalar la calefacción.
- Sujeto + am not / isn't / aren't + going to + have + complemento + verbo en participio We aren't going to have the heating installed. No nos van a instalar la calefacción.
? Am / is / are + sujeto + going to + have + complemento + verbo en participio Are you going to have the heating installed? ¿Os van a instalar la calefacción?
Modal passive + Sujeto + modal verb + have + complemento + verbo en participio You could have your socks mended. Podrías hacerte remendar tus calcetines.
- Sujeto + modal verb + not + have + complemento + verbo en participio I might not have my socks mended. Puede que no haga remendar mis calcetines.
? Modal verb + sujeto + have + complemento + verbo en participio Should I have my socks mended? ¿Debería hacer remendar mis calcetines?