🎒 The verb avoir in the present
📖 In short
The verb avoir means “to have”. We use it to say what we have: J'ai un chat (I have a cat), and also to say our age, and that we're hungry or cold.
🔎 The lesson
1 Present tense
| Pronoun | Verb |
|---|---|
| j' | ai |
| tu | as |
| il / elle | a |
| nous | avons |
| vous | avez |
| ils / elles | ont |
2 Examples
- J'ai un vélo.I have a bike.
- Il a dix ans.He's ten years old.
- Nous avons un chien.We have a dog.
- Vous avez des crayons ?Do you have pencils?
3 Phrases with avoir
In French we say “I have hunger” instead of “I am hungry”.
- J'ai faim.I'm hungry.
- J'ai soif.I'm thirsty.
- J'ai peur.I'm scared.
- J'ai froid.I'm cold.
- J'ai sommeil.I'm sleepy.
💡 Watch out!
- Don't mix up il a (he has) and à (to, at), which has an accent.
- ils ont (they have) and ils sont (they are) look alike: watch out for the s.
🧩 Test yourself
1 J'... une sœur.
2 Vous ... un jardin.
3 “I'm hungry” in French:
→ The verb être in the present← First-group verbs in the present
📚 Related lessons
- 🌟 The verb être in the present
- 🎵 First-group verbs in the present
- 🏁 Second-group verbs in the present
- 🚶 The verbs aller and faire in the present
- ⏮️ The passé composé
- ⏭️ The futur proche
- 🪥 Reflexive verbs: je me lave
- 📣 Commands: Range ta chambre !
- 🕰️ The imparfait
- 🚀 The futur simple
- 🚌 The verbs prendre and venir in the present
- 🙏 pouvoir, vouloir and devoir