Le verbe avoir au présent
Having, telling your age, and the expressions with avoir
⚡Key points
Le verbe AVOIR au présent
The verb avoir (to have) is, with être, the most important verb. It expresses possession, age, and many set phrases. Before a vowel, je becomes j’: j’ai.
avoir — present tense
| j’ | ai | I have |
| tu | as | you have |
| il / elle / on | a | he / she has |
| nous | avons | we have |
| vous | avez | you have |
| ils / elles | ont | they have |
Basic uses
Possession
J’ai un chat.
Tu as une voiture.
Nous avons une maison.
Age (with avoir !)
J’ai vingt ans.
Elle a trente ans.
Tu as quel âge ?
il y a (there is / there are)
Il y a un livre sur la table.
Il y a des étudiants dans la classe.
💡⚠️ Age uses AVOIR
Dialogue: getting to know each other
Inès: Do you have brothers and sisters? | Tom: Yes, I have a sister. She is fifteen. | Inès: And do you have a pet? | Tom: We have a dog. There are also two cats at home!
Les expressions avec avoir
French uses avoir in many expressions about feelings and needs. Where English uses «to be» + adjective (I am hungry), French says «avoir + noun» (j’ai faim).
Feelings and needs
Body sensations
avoir faim (to be hungry)
avoir soif (to be thirsty)
avoir chaud (to be hot)
avoir froid (to be cold)
Emotions
avoir peur (de) (to be afraid of)
avoir mal (à) (to have a pain / ache)
Needs and wishes
avoir besoin de (to need)
avoir envie de (to feel like / want)
avoir raison (to be right)
Dialogue: at the restaurant
Waiter: Hello! Are you hungry? | Customer: Yes, and I am very thirsty too. It is hot! | Waiter: Do you need a menu? | Customer: Yes, thank you. I feel like a salad.