Avoir (to have) – present tense
J'ai, tu as, il a…
Avoir (to have) is the second most important verb. You use it for possession, for age, in many expressions, and to build the past tense.
Conjugation
| avoir | English | |
|---|---|---|
| j' | ai | I have |
| tu | as | you have |
| il / elle / on | a | he/she/it has |
| nous | avons | we have |
| vous | avez | you have |
| ils / elles | ont | they have |
Je always becomes j' here, because ai starts with a vowel: never je ai.
- J'ai une sœur.I have a sister.
- Tu as un stylo ?Do you have a pen?
- Elle a les yeux bleus.She has blue eyes.
- Nous avons un chien.We have a dog.
- Vous avez des questions ?Do you have any questions?
- Ils ont une grande maison.They have a big house.
Ils ont vs ils sont
These are the classic beginner mix-up:
- ils ont (they have): the s of ils links to ont with a z sound: eel-zohn.
- ils sont (they are): a hard s sound: eel-sohn.
- Ils ont faim.They're hungry. (literally: they have hunger)
- Ils sont fatigués.They're tired.
Avoir where English uses "be"
- J'ai vingt ans.I'm twenty.
- Tu as froid ?Are you cold?
See Avoir faim, soif, chaud, froid, … ans, and for the past tense with avoir, Passé composé with avoir.
Practice
- J'_____ un chien.
Show the answer
ai
- Tu _____ une voiture ?
Show the answer
as
- Il _____ vingt ans.
Show the answer
a
- Nous _____ un problème.
Show the answer
avons
In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, followed by questions that explain the rule when you get one wrong. It then comes back for review on later days until you've mastered it.