to have a say
46
3.1
- phrasal verb
:
tener voz
- If we're going to be affected by decisions, we should have a say in making them.
- have a say in decisions
- the right to have a say
- have a say in government
The American people should have a say in the court's direction.
- The American people should have a say in the court's direction.
- Ukraine must have a say in the future of Ukraine.
- You know you actually have a say so in how your life goes.
- You know, we live in a place where everybody has a say.
- You have no say so in what happens to you, but you have a say so in what you do about it.
- It can be run by the public, but I think it's a time that the public have a say and the public get involved.
- The well, it's the problem is it's like some of the stuff I didn't really have a say in right?
- So does the smart contract then determine who, who, who has a say or does everybody have equal say?
- My state, my mood, my energy, like none of us are perfect, but like we have a say over how we feel.
- Now that political system has to be one that lets us feel like we have a say in the direction of society.
- One person cannot make those decisions and everybody who has a stake in that decision should have a say.
- I don't think that meant that we I I don't think that had a say in like whether we were just blending in, you know, staying quiet to fit in or not.
- Economics is is a social construct that we actually have a say in.
- However, we as the consumers do have to be smart and have a say in how and what we're consuming and how often we are consuming it.
- But I don't really have a say in what we're actually going to be doing.
- Like people should have a say in like where, where the lines lines are drawn.
- They don't have a say over what happens and the incredible crackdown on the early sort of protests that were went right across the country in the first few days of the war.
- I mean, you know, it's that's the thing about America, it's like every, everybody has a say.
Examples
-
You know you actually have a say so in how your life goes.
-
The American people should have a say in the court's direction.
-
Now he wants to go even further and attack the rights of working people to have a say about their pay and conditions.
-
Since when do you have a say?
-
I do believe I have a say in what music is played here.
-
Now that political system has to be one that lets us feel like we have a say in the direction of society.
-
It can be run by the public, but I think it's a time that the public have a say and the public get involved.
-
Shouldn't we have a say in how to build our investment portfolio?
-
I'm tired of being treated like someone who doesn't have a say in his own life.
-
If we're going to be affected by decisions, we should have a say in making them.
Synonyms
103
4.0
To give your opinion in a discussion when asked
15
3.2
To say your thoughts or views aloud in public
How Influential
46
3.1
15
3.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to have the right or opportunity to express an opinion' is directly derivable from the constituents: 'have' (to possess) + 'a' (indefinite article) + 'say' (a noun meaning an opinion or voice in a decision). This possession-of-voice composition is common cross-linguistically and follows ordinary English patterns, so a B1 learner who knows the words would readily understand it.
Etymology
Have a say comes from a simple image: someone in a meeting being given the chance to speak. To have something is to own it and say means a spoken opinion, so the phrase now means 'to have the right or chance to give your opinion'.