My father often has beef.

[hirashin]

Dear native English speakers, would you help me?

(a) My father often has beef.
(b) My father often eat beef.

Does (a) mean (b)?

Hirashin

 

[mdchachi]

Yes I believe they are equivalent. Note, there's a small grammatical error in (b); it should be My father often eats beef.

 

[Lothor]

They are equivalent. I can't speak for American English but certainly in British Engiish the verb 'have' is used an enormous amount (have a beer, have a bath, have an argument, have a nap, have a go (attempt), have a good time) and the first sentence would probably be used slightly more. Nothing wrong with (machachi's corrected) second sentence though.

 

[hirashin]

Thanks for the help, mdchachi and Lothor. Yes. I made a mistake. I should have put s to eat.

 

[RobertoSeven]

Hey Hirashin,

Yes, they mean the same and "My father often eats beef" is clear.

I think there's a note to be made as "My father often has beef" would have clear meaning when the topic of eating, food likes or dislikes, has been established. If you started a conversation with "My father often has beef" the listener would probably feel the need to clarify "What, to eat?" because the verb 'to eat' isn't there.

We also say "My father likes/loves his beef." which you can assume he has it often if he likes it so much.

(this is making me hungry)

 

[Lothor]

I don't think there is any need to clarify what 'have' means here.
The conversation
'My father often has beef'
'What, to eat?'
'No, to _____' (insert alternative verb)
seems unlikely!

 

[hirashin]

I guess "My father has beef" would sound unclear. Am I right?

How about the following examples? Would they be used?
(a) My father has beef every day.
(b) My father has a lot of beef.
(c) My father hardly ever has beef.
(d) My father never has beef.

Hirashin

 

[Lothor]

Unless the context was very specific, 'my father has beef' would sound unclear.

All sentences are possible, though (b) sounds more as if the quantity of beef is being discussed - e.g., you are at a barbecue and are getting a plate of food for your father. You ask the server to put a lot of beef on the plate because 'my father has a lot of beef'.

 

[mdchachi]

Unless the context was very specific, 'my father has beef' would sound unclear.

My father has beef is vague however I think my My father has beef every day is clear. The natural assumption would be that you are talking about eating beef.

 

[johnnyG]

Do you know how the second one is different?

My father often has beef with me.
vs:
My father often has a beef with me.

 

[thomas]

Do you know how the second one is different?

Are you beefing up his English?