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

  • tenir la jambe

    The French saying “tenir la jambe” means literally “to hold the leg.” What it means figuratively is “to hold someone back or to delay someone by saying lots of boring or irrelevant things to them.” This conjures up images of trying to get away from someone who insists on telling you something, even though you…

  • À la noix

    “À la noix” means “stripped of value, not serious, of bad quality, phony, without value, or badly made.” “Une noix” is a walnut. This expression appeared at the end of the 19th century. So why the prejudice against walnuts? The expression may be a deformation of the word “alénois” which is in turn a deformation…

  • Adjective: paresseux

    Meaning “Paresseux” is a French adjective used to describe a person or thing as “lazy” or “idle.” Corresponding Noun “La paresse” is a related feminine noun that means “laziness,” “sloth,” or in a medical context, “sluggishness.” Gender & number The adjective “paresseux” takes on different forms depending on the gender and number of the noun…

  • Numbers

    A list of cardinal numbers in French (eg 1, 2, 3) and how to use them. 0 = zéro [ZAY ROH]1 = un [UNH] (“une” if counting feminine nouns)2 = deux [DER]3 = trois [TRWAH]4  = quatre [KAH TRER]5 = cinq [SANK]6 = six [SEESS]7 = sept [SET]8 = huit [UWEET]9 = neuf [NERF]10 =…

  • c pronunciation

    The letter “c” can be pronounced in two different ways in French. It can be hard, like the first “c” in the word “coriace,” meaning “tough,” “leathery,” or “hard-headed,” pronounced [KOH REE AHSS]. Or it can be soft, like the last “c” in “coriace.” How do you know whether a “c” will be hard or…

  • maint

    The French adjective “maint” means “many,” “many a,” “numerous” or “manifold.” It is a little archaic and is most commonly used in a literary way, although some still use it in everyday speech. People tend to prefer more modern words such as “beaucoup,” “nombreux,” “plusieurs,” or more familiarly, “plein de.” As an adjective, “maint” must…