Use have something done, or the more casual get something done, when someone else does a job for you, usually because you pay them. It's how Americans talk about haircuts, car repairs, deliveries and home projects.
The pattern
I had my car washed.
We're getting our kitchen remodeled.
He had his wallet stolen.
01The form: have in any tense
The pattern is have + object + past participle. Only have changes to show the time; the object and participle stay the same.
- I have my teeth cleaned twice a year.
- I'm having my suit altered for the wedding.
- We had the house inspected before we bought it.
- Have you ever had your palm read?
- I need to have my watch fixed.
02Get something done
In American English, get is extremely common here, and it sounds a little more casual: get my nails done, get the car fixed, get a tooth pulled.
Get something done can also mean finish it yourself: I need to get this report done by five.
- Where do you get your hair cut?
- I finally got my passport renewed.
- Let's get this done before lunch.
03Things you didn't choose
The same pattern describes something bad that happened to you: He had his bike stolen. We got our flight canceled. Nobody wanted it, but the structure is identical.
04Word order changes the meaning
Put the object before the past participle. If you move it, you get a different tense and a different story.
| Sentence | Who did it? |
|---|---|
| I cleaned the carpets. | I did it myself. |
| I had the carpets cleaned. | A company did it for me. |
| I got the carpets cleaned. | A company did it (more casual). |
| I had cleaned the carpets before the party. | I did it myself, earlier (past perfect). |
05Common mistakes
I had repaired my car.
I had my car repaired.
The object goes between have and the past participle.
We're having our apartment paint next week.
We're having our apartment painted next week.
After the object, use the past participle, not the base verb.
She got done her nails.
She got her nails done.
The object comes before done.
Where do you get cut your hair?
Where do you get your hair cut?
In questions too, the object sits between get and the past participle.