Qué es lo más horrible que puede haber

Question

I'm not sure what that haber is about. What is the worst thing that you can have? What is the worst thing that ??. Gracias.

Answer 1

What's the function of haber there? I'm not getting it, us Englsih speakers have been taught that haber needs a ido/ado word after it, so we are lost

When are English speakers taught that? If they are taught that, it is incorrect teaching.

I agree.

I know you know how to use the present tense of "haber", right?

¿Qué hay? Hay cerveza. Hay alegría. Hay un mal sentimiento.

¿Qué puede haber (en la casa de Jeezle)? Puede haber cerveza. Puede haber gente simpática. Pueden haber fantasmas.

¿Qué puede haber en el mundo? ¡Muchas cosas! ¿Qué es lo mejor que puede haber (en el mundo)? Amor. Bondad. Compasión. Paz... Ah, ¿y qué es lo peor que puede haber??

Yes but, thinking on haber, habría, había.... they are usually folowed by participles, I guess the mind is prepared for them........ - jeezzle, Oct 17, 2010

Answer 2

Qué es lo más horrible que puede haber I must be too simple to see a problem with this? To me it is just 'What's the worse that could happen' or more directly - what's the worst you could have....

Quite convincing, just my ear is waiting for more, maybe that's the price of the "crossover" from English to Spanish? - lagartijaverde, Oct 17, 2010

Answer 3

In the dictionary for haber, it shows as an impersonal verb, it also means to exist or to be, "existir". Usually it used as "hay", like "Hay dos ladrones en la escuela."

So, "¿Qué es lo más horrible que puede haber?" means, What is the worst thing that there could be?, or in the case of the robbers from the clip, the one is asking, What is the worst crime there could be?

Answer 4

¿Qué es lo más horrible que puede haber? - what's the most horrible thing that can be / exist?

What's the function of haber there? I'm not getting it, us Englsih speakers have been taught that haber needs a ido/ado word after it, so we are lost. - jeezzle, Oct 17, 2010

When are English speakers taught that? If they are taught that, it is incorrect teaching. - mountaingirl123, Oct 17, 2010

"puede" must be followed by an infinitive, and "haber" is the infinitive that carries the "there + to be" feeling - mountaingirl123, Oct 17, 2010

We are being taught that, in both classes and books. And Pimsleur, Michel Thomas, that haber is a diving board that follows with the past participle. And that is how I mostly see it used. - jeezzle, Oct 17, 2010

Jeezzle, you use "hay" all the time don't you? - benweck, Oct 17, 2010

Sure who doesn't. ;) - jeezzle, Oct 17, 2010

Answer 5

what is the worst thing that could ever exist? Ingratitude.

(I suppose it was a comedy)

Most people return small favors, acknowledge medium ones and repay greater ones - with ingratitude. (Benjamin Franklin)

Answer 6

It looks unfinished to me. Maybe it's meant to be in the Past Perfect? It's as if a participle is needed. Then it would be

¿Qué es lo más horrible que puede haber pasado/ ocurrido? Lets see what the others say.

I agree, but the sentence was complete in the show. Two thieves talking, and the end is "lo más horrible que puede haber es ingratitud". - jeezzle, Oct 17, 2010

I was thinking the same thing. It sounds more complete with the past participle. So translated it would be: What is the worst thing that can have happened? - Stardust2212, Oct 17, 2010

Answer 7

"What is the worst thing that there could be?" It doesn't translate exactly to English; you might say in comfortable English "what is the worst thing imaginable?"

Answer 8

Ah, "lo más horrible que puede haber es ingratitud" works though. You could substitute a whole string of words after es , substantives: enfermedad, infelicidad etc.

As you point out when you mention "do/ado", the ear/brain is waiting for the other shoe to fall. So you could add "dad" to that. To me ingratitud falls into that category even though it's an exception and doesn't carry the "dad". Having said that my English" ear still prefers a "do/ado" before the es.

What do you think?

Answer 9

Es de aquí: link text