Used and loved by millions
Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
we had request
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "we had request" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "we had a request"? If this is the case, you can use it when referring to a request that was made in the past. Example: "During the meeting, we had a request from the client for additional information."
⚠ May contain grammatical issues
News & Media
Science
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
1 human-written examples
We came back [from the competition] and we had ReQuest -- and more and more people wanted to audition.
News & Media
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
58 human-written examples
We had requested the red version.
News & Media
Although we had requested a city-view room (overlooking the beach and the city), the sea view was dazzling.
News & Media
We had requested a doggie bag for our leftover pasta; instead it had inadvertently been thrown out.
News & Media
"We had requests from members of Congress on both sides of the aisle and both houses, we had requests from movie stars, newscasters, former presidents, former first ladies," Ms. Nolan said.
News & Media
"We were under the impression that we had requested he wait and let us talk and get the information," Ricco said, "and we thought that was the case.
News & Media
"In light of recent developments, we are no longer pursuing the judicial review we had requested," Pablo Legorreta, the chief executive of Royalty Pharma, said in a statement.
News & Media
Said one: "We had requests for chargers".
News & Media
"We had requests from lots of different countries.
News & Media
With each SUS item, we had requested to elaborate the reason for their response.
Katie Owen, spokeswoman for the HLF, said: "At our last grant announcement in January we had requests totalling £27m and gave out £10.3m so we were 2.6 times oversubscribed".
News & Media
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Always use the correct article ('a' or 'an') before 'request' when it is singular and countable, as in "We had a request".
Common error
Avoid omitting the article 'a' or 'an' before the word "request" when referring to a singular, countable request. Saying "We had request" is grammatically incorrect.
Source & Trust
84%
Authority and reliability
2.1/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "we had request" is an incorrect grammatical construction. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct form requires an article before the noun "request" when used in a singular, countable context. Therefore, it does not serve a valid grammatical function in standard English.
Frequent in
Science
33%
News & Media
33%
Formal & Business
33%
Less common in
Science
0%
News & Media
0%
Formal & Business
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
The phrase "we had request" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. As Ludwig AI highlights, the correct form is "we had a request". This analysis underscores the importance of using the article 'a' before singular, countable nouns like "request". Alternatives such as "we received a request" or "we got a request" can also be used. Due to its grammatical inaccuracy, the phrase is inappropriate for any register, emphasizing the need for precision in both formal and informal communication.
More alternative expressions(10)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
we received a request
Replaces the grammatically incorrect phrase with a correct and common alternative using 'received' to indicate obtaining a request.
we got a request
An informal but grammatically sound alternative using 'got' instead of 'had' to denote receiving a request.
we had a request
Corrects the grammar by adding the article 'a' to form a proper noun phrase.
we have a request
Shifts the tense to present, indicating a current request.
we had an inquiry
Substitutes 'request' with 'inquiry', offering a slightly more formal tone while maintaining the past tense.
we were asked
Changes the structure to a passive construction, focusing on the action of being asked.
requests were made to us
Emphasizes that the requests came from external sources.
we received requests
Indicates that multiple requests were received, rather than a single one.
we were requesting
Shifts the focus to the action of the speaker requesting something, rather than receiving one.
a request was submitted to us
Uses a passive construction to emphasize the submission of a formal request.
FAQs
What is the correct way to say "we had request"?
The grammatically correct way to say this is "we had "we had a request"". The article 'a' is necessary before the singular noun 'request'.
What can I say instead of "we had request"?
You can use alternatives like "we received a request", "we got a request", or "we had an inquiry".
Is "we had request" grammatically correct?
No, "we had request" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""we had a request"".
What is the difference between "we had request" and "we had a request"?
"We had request" is grammatically incorrect due to the missing article 'a'. "We had a request" is the correct way to express that you received a request in the past.
Editing plus AI, all in one place.
Stop switching between tools. Your AI writing partner for everything—polishing proposals, crafting emails, finding the right tone.
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
84%
Authority and reliability
2.1/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested