In this pronunciation episode of Aussie English I teach you guys how “Had have” is often contracted into the forms “Had’ve”, “Had’ah”, “‘d’ve” and “‘d’ah”.

Pronunciation: Had have = Had’ve – Had’ah – ‘d’ve – ‘d’ah

G’day guys. Welcome to this episode of Aussie English. Today is a pronunciation episode, and the episode of today’s going to focus on the contraction of the form “Had have”. So, when you contract “Had have” it often becomes “Had’ve” or “Had’ah”, and then if you contract “Had” within the construction there “Had have” onto the pronoun it’ll become, for example, if I use the pronoun “I”, “I’d’ve”, “I’d’ah”. So, “Had have”, “Had’ve”, “Had’ah”, “I’d’ve”, “I’d’ah”.

So, the “Had have” construction is commonly called the Double Perfect tense for anyone who wants to go and look up the grammar. It’s formed with “Had have + a past participle”. For example:

Had have been
Had have done
Had have asked
Had have seen

And it’s often used in “If” clauses, for example:

If I had have known, I would have told you.
If you had have come, you would have seen us.
If they had have asked, we would have explained it to them.

And also in the form, “To wish someone had have + past tense”. “To wish someone had’ve done something”, for example:

I wish he had have left the party sooner.
I wish he had have known.
I wish he had have come with us.

So, quite commonly as well you may just head “Had” instead of “Had have” in these same situations. So, if I repeat the sentences we said previously as examples in this form you’ll hear:

If I had known, I would have told you.
If you had come, you would have seen us.
If they had asked, we would have explained it to them.
I wish he had left the party sooner.
I wish he had known.
I wish he had come with us.

This might be more grammatically correct, or at least more grammatically common, at least when written or when speaking very formally, but “Had’ve” or “Had’ah” is also incredibly common particularly when speaking and in informal language.

So, let’s do a little listen and repeat exercise guys where I’ll run through the different contractions of “Had have” with the different pronouns.

Listen and repeat:

I had have

I had’ve

I had’ah

I’d’ve

I’d’ah

You had have

You had’ve

You had’ah

You’d’ve

You’d’ah

He had have

He had’ve

He had’ah

He’d’ve

He’d’ah

She had have

She had’ve

She had’ah

She’d’ve

She’d’ah

We had have

We had’ve

We had’ah

We’d’ve

We’d’ah

They had have

They had’ve

They had’ah

They’d’ve

They’d’ah

It had have

It had’ve

It had’ah

It’d’ve

It’d’ah

I might add there that that sounds incredibly weird for me to say. I don’t think even though you can contract it like this with other pronouns doing it with “It” sounds incredibly bizarre. And I think it’s going to be the same case with “Things”, which I’m about to say.

Things had have

Things had’ve

Things had’ah

Things’d’ve

Things’d’ah

Note: “Had have” and “Had’ve” are the acceptable written forms in formal writing. Double contractions such as “I’d’ve” are not commonly written that way, instead you would just contract just one of either “Had” or “Have”, i.e. “I’d have” or “I had’ve”. Remember also that “-‘ah” has just been added to show how those contractions with it are pronounced.

These two [it & things] feel a little strange and probably aren’t commonly used or said, saying “It’d’ve” or “It’d’ah” and “Things’d’ve” and “Things’d’ah”. That sounds a little bizarre to me. So, I wouldn’t put too much of your energy and attention into learning those but it’s a good exercise to practice these contractions anyway, guys.

So, as usual let’s go through some substitution exercises. So, I’ll read out a whole bunch of different sentences here using the form “Had have”, and I want you to contract “had have”, which I’ll say in the first sentence, into “Had’ve”, “Had’ve” in the second sentence. And also, because these are going to sometimes be in “If” clauses, so some of these sentences are going to be “If” clauses, so, “If I had’ve…” followed by “Something, something… would have…” I want you to also try and contract “Would have” in a similar way that you’re contracting “Had have”. So, if you contract “Had have” to “Had’ve” I want you to contract “Would have” to “Would’ve”. So, let’s do this substitution drill guys.

Substitution exercises: Had have – had’ve

I wish I had have come with you.

I wish I had’ve come with you.

You wish the hotel room had have been bigger.

You wish the hotel room had’ve been bigger.

If I had have known I would have done things differently.

If I had’ve known I would’ve done things differently.

She wishes you had have listened to her advice.

She wishes you had’ve listened to her advice.

The answer would have been yes, if you had have asked.

The answer would’ve been yes, if you had’ve asked.

My friend wishes the weather had have been nicer.

My friend wishes the weather had’ve been nicer.

They wish we had have all gone to the party together.

They wish we had’ve all gone to the party together.

If we had have been watching, we would have noticed.

If we had’ve been watching, we would’ve noticed.

If she had have only listened to us she wouldn’t have got in trouble.

If she had’ve only listened to us she wouldn’t’ve got in trouble.

You would have got the job if you had have gone to the interview.

You would’ve got the job if you had’ve gone to the interview.

If they had have looked harder, they would have found their keys.

If they had’ve looked harder, they would’ve found their keys.

So, let’s dive into the second substitution drill, guys, where this time I’ll say these same sentences in the contracted form “Had’ve” and I want you to say “Had’ah”. So, I’m going to say “Had’ve” in the first sentence and you’ll substitute “Had’ve” with “Had’ah” in the second sentence. And remember, just like in the first drill where we also contracted “Would have” to “Would’ve” I want you to do the same thing here where I want you to contract “Would’ve” into “Would’ah”. So, just make it sound the same as you do with “Had’ve” to “Had’ah”. Let’s go guys.

Substitution exercises: Had’ve – had’ah

I wish I had’ve come with you.

I wish I had’ah come with you.

You wish the hotel room had’ve been bigger.

You wish the hotel room had’ah been bigger.

If I had’ve known I would’ve done things differently.

If I had’ah known I would’ah done things differently.

She wishes you had’ve listened to her advice.

She wishes you had’ah listened to her advice.

The answer would’ve been yes, if you had’ve asked.

The answer would’ah been yes, if you had’ah asked.

My friend wishes the weather had’ve been nicer.

My friend wishes the weather had’ah been nicer.

They wish we had’ve all gone to the party together.

They wish we had’ah all gone to the party together.

If we had’ve been watching, we would’ve noticed.

If we had’ah been watching, we would’ah noticed.

If she had’ve only listened to us she wouldn’t’ve got in trouble.

If she had’ah only listened to us she wouldn’ah got in trouble.

You would’ve got the job if you had’ve gone to the interview.

You would’ah got the job if you had’ah gone to the interview.

If they had’ve looked harder, they would’ve found their keys.

If they had’ah looked harder, they would’ah found their keys.

So, we’ll do a few more exercises, guys, just to contract “Had” now onto the pronouns. So, let’s just dive straight into it.

Substitution exercises: Had’ve – ‘d’ve

I wish I had’ve listened.

I wish I’d’ve listened.

If he had’ve asked, I would’ve said yes.

If he’d’ve only asked, I’d’ve said yes.

(note that both “would” and “had” have been contracted to “’d”)

If she had’ve wanted to know she would’ve asked.

If she’d’ve wanted to know she’d’ve asked.

They wish I had’ve gone for a surf with them.

They wish I’d’ve gone for a surf with them.

He would’ve come with us if he had’ve wanted to.

He’d’ve come with us if he’d’ve wanted to.

If I had have known I would’ve said something.

If I’d’ve known I’d’ve said something.

So, I might add there, guys, too that as you will have seen, or as you will have noticed, when you contract “Would” it looks and sounds exactly like when you contract “Had” onto these pronouns. As in the last example there, “If I had’ve known, I would’ve said something” becomes “If I’d’ve known, I’d’ve said something”. So, “I’d’ve” there… both look the same once “Would” and “Had” have both been contracted onto the pronoun before them. That’s just the kind of thing that you’ll get used to, and when you hear it you don’t worry too much about what word it was, you just get the context and you… your brain just gets used to these contracts and understands what’s being said and what it means. And so, that’s why I feel like these exercises are so important. It’s going to teach your brain what’s being said and the message that’s being conveyed when you hear natives make these kinds of contractions.

So, we’ll do one more exercise where I’m doing to repeat those same sentences as I just said. So, this time I want you to contract “I’d’ve” into “I’d’ah”. Let’s go.

Substitution exercises: ‘d’ve – ‘d’ah

I wish I’d’ve listened.

I wish I’d’ah listened.

If he’d’ve only asked, I’d’ve said yes.

If he’d’ah only asked, I’d’ah said yes.

(note that both “would” and “had” have been contracted to “’d”)

If she’d’ve wanted to know she’d’ve asked.

If she’d’ah wanted to know she’d’ah asked.

They wish I’d’ve gone for a surf with them.

They wish I’d’ah gone for a surf with them.

He’d’ve come with us if he’d’ve wanted to.

He’d’ah come with us if he’d’ah wanted to.

If I’d’ve known I’d’ve said something.

If I’d’ah known I’d’ah said something.

So, that’s really it guys. Keep practicing these things, guys. Keep doing the drills. Practice these exercises. Don’t worry too much about memorizing anything. Just go through the exercises from time to time, you know. Do them a few times this week. Do them a few times each month. And then every six months. Just get used to it. Practice them when and if you want to, and eventually these kinds of contractions are going to become subconscious and you will do them naturally.

So, this episode’s gone pretty long. I’ll leave it at that. I hope you’ve enjoyed it, and I’ll speak to you soon. All the best guys!