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Mina Uzun Posted 6 years ago
Grammar

To have had a friend/to had a friend

Hi

Here's a dialogue from "Friends s1e19".

(Barry is the guy who Rachel left at the altar. Mindy were Rachel's maid of honor)

Rachel: Country club newsletter. My mother sends me the engagement notices for 'inspiration.' Oh my God! Oh my God, it's Barry and Mindy!

Monica: Barry who you almost...?

Rachel: Barry who I almost.

Monica: And Mindy, your maid of...?

Rachel: Mindy, my maid of. Oh!

Monica: (Takes it) That's Mindy? Wow, she is pretty. (Sees Rachel's look) Lucky. To have had a friend like you.


Could you please explain why it is "to have had a friend" instead of "to had a friend"? Would it be wrong to say "to had a friend"?

  

Top answer

"to had" is always ungrammatical. "to have had" is the perfect infinitive of the verb "have". Compare: She is pretty lucky to have a friend like you.

— GPY

  • "to had" is always ungrammatical.
  • "to have had" is the perfect infinitive of the verb "have".
  • Compare: She is pretty lucky to have a friend like you.
  • (they are friends now) She is pretty lucky to have had a friend like you.
  • (they were / have been friends the past)
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2 Answers
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"to had" is always ungrammatical. "to have had" is the perfect infinitive of the verb "have". Compare:

She is pretty lucky to have a friend like you. (they are friends now)
She is pretty lucky to have had a friend like you. (they were / have been friends the past)

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Mina UzunWould it be wrong to say "to had a friend"?

Yes. The infinitive is always the base form of the verb, in this case "to have."


Wow, she is pretty. (Sees Rachel's look) Lucky. To have a friend like you. (Present tense - the friendship is now. It does not refer to the event in the past.)

Wow,

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