The Verb Avoir and Common Expressions with Avoir
2.7.1. The Main Idea
The verb avoir means to have. You already saw it when talking about age.
avoir | to have |
Jāai vingt ans. | I am twenty years old. |
Tu as quel âge ? | How old are you? |
In French, avoir is also used in many common expressions where English often uses to be.
2.7.2. The Verb Avoir
jāai | I have |
tu as | you have, informal |
il a | he has |
elle a | she has |
nous avons | we have |
vous avez | you have, formal or plural |
ils ont | they have, masculine or mixed |
elles ont | they have, feminine |
2.7.3. Main Pattern
Subject + avoir + noun/expression | English meaning |
Jāai un livre. | I have a book. |
Tu as un stylo. | You have a pen. |
Il a un cahier. | He has a notebook. |
Elle a une gomme. | She has an eraser. |
Nous avons un cours. | We have a class. |
Vous avez une question. | You have a question. |
Ils ont des livres. | They have books. |
Elles ont des chaises. | They have chairs. |
2.7.4. Avoir for Age
French uses avoir to talk about age.
Jāai vingt ans. | I am twenty years old. |
Tu as vingt et un ans. | You are twenty-one years old. |
Il a dix-huit ans. | He is eighteen years old. |
Elle a dix-neuf ans. | She is nineteen years old. |
Nous avons trente ans. | We are thirty years old. |
Vous avez quel âge ? | How old are you? |
2.7.5. Common Expressions with Avoir
avoir faim | to be hungry |
avoir soif | to be thirsty |
avoir chaud | to be hot |
avoir froid | to be cold |
avoir raison | to be right |
avoir tort | to be wrong |
avoir peur | to be afraid |
avoir besoin de | to need |
avoir envie de | to want / to feel like |
avoir de la chance | to be lucky |
2.7.6. Examples with Common Expressions
Jāai faim. | I am hungry. |
Tu as soif. | You are thirsty. |
Il a chaud. | He is hot. |
Elle a froid. | She is cold. |
Nous avons raison. | We are right. |
Vous avez tort. | You are wrong. |
Ils ont peur. | They are afraid. |
Elles ont de la chance. | They are lucky. |
2.7.7. Avoir Besoin De
Avoir besoin de means to need.
Jāai besoin dāun stylo. | I need a pen. |
Tu as besoin dāun livre. | You need a book. |
Elle a besoin dāune chaise. | She needs a chair. |
Nous avons besoin dāun cours. | We need a class. |
Vous avez besoin dāaide. | You need help. |
Before a vowel sound, de becomes dā.
de + aide | dāaide |
de + un | dāun |
2.7.8. Avoir Envie De
Avoir envie de means to want or to feel like.
Jāai envie dāun cafĆ©. | I want a coffee. |
Tu as envie dāune pause. | You want a break. |
Il a envie de dormir. | He feels like sleeping. |
Elle a envie dāĆ©tudier. | She feels like studying. |
Nous avons envie de parler franƧais. | We feel like speaking French. |
2.7.9. Important Warning
Do not translate these expressions word-for-word into French with ĆŖtre.
Je suis faim. | Donāt say this. French does not use ĆŖtre for hunger. |
Jāai faim. | Say this. I am hungry. |
Je suis froid. | Donāt say this. French does not use ĆŖtre for feeling cold. |
Jāai froid. | Say this. I am cold. |
Je suis vingt ans. | Donāt say this. French does not use ĆŖtre for age. |
Jāai vingt ans. | Say this. I am twenty years old. |
2.7.10. Questions with Avoir
Tu as faim ? | Are you hungry? |
Tu as soif ? | Are you thirsty? |
Tu as froid ? | Are you cold? |
Tu as chaud ? | Are you hot? |
Tu as besoin dāaide ? | Do you need help? |
Vous avez une question ? | Do you have a question? |
2.7.11. Short Answers
Oui, jāai faim. | Yes, I am hungry. |
Non, je nāai pas faim. | No, I am not hungry. |
Oui, jāai soif. | Yes, I am thirsty. |
Non, je nāai pas soif. | No, I am not thirsty. |
Oui, jāai besoin dāaide. | Yes, I need help. |
Non, je nāai pas besoin dāaide. | No, I do not need help. |
2.7.12. Core Patterns
Jāai ___ . | I have ___ . / I am ___ . |
Tu as ___ ? | Do you have ___ ? / Are you ___ ? |
Il a ___ . | He has ___ . / He is ___ . |
Elle a ___ . | She has ___ . / She is ___ . |
Nous avons ___ . | We have ___ . / We are ___ . |
Vous avez ___ ? | Do you have ___ ? / Are you ___ ? |
Ils ont ___ . | They have ___ . / They are ___ . |
Elles ont ___ . | They have ___ . / They are ___ . |
2.7.13. Practice
I have a book. |
You have a pen. informal |
He has a notebook. |
She has an eraser. |
I am hungry. |
I am thirsty. |
I am cold. |
I am twenty years old. |
Do you need help? informal |
I need a pen. |
2.7.14. Answers
I have a book. | Jāai un livre. |
You have a pen. informal | Tu as un stylo. |
He has a notebook. | Il a un cahier. |
She has an eraser. | Elle a une gomme. |
I am hungry. | Jāai faim. |
I am thirsty. | Jāai soif. |
I am cold. | Jāai froid. |
I am twenty years old. | Jāai vingt ans. |
Do you need help? informal | Tu as besoin dāaide ? |
I need a pen. | Jāai besoin dāun stylo. |
2.7.15. Short Dialogue
A : Tu as faim ? | A: Are you hungry? |
B : Oui, jāai faim. Et toi ? | B: Yes, I am hungry. And you? |
A : Moi aussi. Tu as besoin dāun cafĆ© ? | A: Me too. Do you need a coffee? |
B : Oui, jāai envie dāun cafĆ©. | B: Yes, I want a coffee. |
2.7.16. Checkpoint
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to conjugate avoir, use it to say what someone has, and recognize common French expressions such as avoir faim, avoir soif, avoir froid, avoir chaud, avoir besoin de, and avoir envie de.
2.7.17. Try It Out
Try saying this in French:
Are you hungry?
Yes, I am hungry.
Possible answer:
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