avoir

The second most frequently used verb in French is “avoir,” which means “to have.” It can also be used to talk about how old someone is. “Avoir” is an essential verb to know.

  1. Je (I) – ai Ex: J’ai un chat. (I have a cat.)
  2. Tu (You, singular informal) – as Ex: Tu as une voiture. (You have a car.)
  3. Il/Elle/On (He/She/One) – a Ex: Il a un livre. (He has a book.)
  4. Nous (We) – avons Ex: Nous avons une maison. (We have a house.)
  5. Vous (You, plural or formal) – avez Ex: Vous avez un chien. (You have a dog.)
  6. Ils/Elles (They) – ont Ex: Ils ont un vélo. (They have a bike.)

“Avoir” is also used to express age. For instance:

  • J’ai vingt ans. (I am twenty years old.)
  • Tu as trente ans. (You are thirty years old.)
  • Il a quarante ans. (He is forty years old.)

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • to seem

    The English verb to seem can be translated into French in several ways. The choice depends on the type of sentence and the tone. The most common forms are sembler, avoir l’air, paraître, and avoir l’impression de. Each has slightly different use and emphasis. 1) sembler sembler is the most direct translation of to seem….

  • vivre vs habiter

    Both vivre and habiter mean “to live” in French, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 1. Vivre – “To live” (in a broader sense) 2. Habiter – “To reside” (more specific) Key Difference: In everyday conversation, habiter is more common when talking about where someone lives physically, while vivre is used for broader…

  • Christmas traditions

    French Christmas traditions differ in several important ways from Anglo-Saxon customs. Many celebrations occur on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day, food traditions follow established regional patterns, and several symbolic elements remain strongly tied to family gatherings and shared meals. The focus is often on the evening feast, seasonal desserts, and the cultural role of…

  • Grammar: Irregular verbs

    Here are the 19 most important irregular verbs to know in French. They are important because they are very frequently used. They are also important to know because many exist in compound form (eg, venir is used in the compound forms revenir, devenir, prévenir, provenir, convenir, survenir and advenir, among others). Since these 19 verbs…

  • par rapport à

    “Par rapport à” is a French prepositional phrase that is widely used. It means three different things: “compared with/in comparison with/against,” “in relation to,” and “with regard to/towards.” Compared with/against In relation to With regard to/towards