To have a good time means to enjoy yourself. People often say it as a wish before a trip or a party: Have a good time! Instead of good, you can say great or lovely.
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have a good/great time + -ing; have a good time at/in + place; Have a good time!
- We had a great time exploring the old town, even though it rained.
- Have a good time at the party, and text me when you get home.
- Did you have a good time in Istanbul with your cousins?
What changed
First versionWe spent a good time at the beach last weekend.
RevisionWe had a good time at the beach last weekend.
Spent may seem right because the sentence is about time. But with a good time, native speakers use have: had a good time. Spend works with a specific period: we spent a lovely day at the beach. Here the sentence is about how it felt, not about a particular day.
Have fun is very close in meaning, but it is shorter and more often used as a wish: Have fun! Have a good time is broader: you can have a good time quietly, without much excitement: We had a good time talking over dinner.
Your turn
Thanks for inviting us to dinner. We ___ a really good time.
Show the answer
had — The speaker is thanking the hosts for an evening they enjoyed, so had a good time is right. Spent a good time is not a natural English combination.
Write to a friend about a recent trip or get-together. Say where you had a good time and what you did.
We had a really good time in Kazan last month, walking along the river and trying the local food.
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