haberse
/ah-behr-seh/
to deal with
This image shows two characters having to 'deal with' each other, illustrating the meaning of haberse in the context of the idiom 'habérselas con alguien'.
haberse(verb)
to deal with
?as part of the idiom 'habérselas con alguien'
,to face up to
?to confront a difficulty
to have a run-in with
?informal confrontation
📝 In Action
El gerente se las tuvo que haber con el cliente insatisfecho.
B2The manager had to deal with the unsatisfied customer.
Si no cumples las reglas, te las vas a haber conmigo.
B2If you don't follow the rules, you are going to have to deal with me.
💡 Grammar Points
Always with 'las' and 'con'
This meaning almost always uses the plural object pronoun 'las' and is followed by 'con' (with) to introduce the person or thing you are dealing with.
Meaning Shift
When 'haber' takes the reflexive pronoun 'se' and the object pronoun 'las', it completely loses its meaning of 'to have' or 'to exist' and becomes an idiom for confrontation.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Dropping 'las'
Mistake: "Me voy a haber con el problema."
Correction: Me las voy a haber con el problema. (Always include 'las' for this idiomatic meaning.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Expressing Conflict
Use 'habérselas con' when you want to emphasize a necessary or unavoidable conflict or negotiation.
The child in the image is demonstrating good conduct, which illustrates the meaning of haberse as 'to behave' or 'to conduct oneself.'
📝 In Action
El soldado se hubo con gran valor frente al enemigo.
C1The soldier behaved with great bravery in front of the enemy.
El director se había con mucha cautela en las negociaciones.
C1The director had conducted himself with great caution in the negotiations.
💡 Grammar Points
Formal Replacement
This meaning is almost always replaced by the more common verb 'comportarse' in modern, everyday Spanish. You will usually only see this in old novels or very formal writing.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing Meanings
Mistake: "No te hubiste bien en la fiesta (meaning 'You didn't behave well at the party')."
Correction: No te comportaste bien en la fiesta. (Use 'comportarse' for behavior in casual contexts.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Literary Use
If you are writing something very formal or trying to mimic historical language, you can use 'haberse' in this sense.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: haberse
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses the common idiomatic meaning of 'haberse'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'haberse' use 'las' when it means 'to deal with'?
The 'las' in 'habérselas con' is an old, fixed part of the idiom. It doesn't actually refer to a specific feminine plural noun in modern Spanish. It's best to think of the entire phrase, 'habérselas,' as a single unit meaning 'to have the matter/difficulty.'
Is 'haberse' used for 'there is/there are'?
No. The impersonal form 'there is/are' uses 'haber' without the reflexive pronoun ('hay', 'hubo'). 'Haberse' is reserved for the idiomatic meaning ('to deal with') or the rare, formal meaning ('to behave').