🔹 1. What does avoir mean?
The verb avoir means to have in French.
It’s one of the most useful verbs and you’ll use it every day!
You use avoir to:
- Talk about what you have:
👉 I have a dog → J’ai un chien - Say your age:
👉 I am 30 years old → J’ai 30 ans (literally: I have 30 years) - Talk about feelings:
👉 I’m cold → J’ai froid
👉 She’s hungry → Elle a faim
🔹 2. Present tense of avoir (to have)
| Conjugation | Example |
|---|---|
| j’ai | J’ai un chat. (I have a cat) |
| tu as | Tu as un livre. (You have a book) |
| il / elle / on a | Elle a une idée. (She has an idea) |
| nous avons | Nous avons une voiture. (We have a car) |
| vous avez | Vous avez deux enfants. (You have two children) |
| ils / elles ont | Ils ont un chien. (They have a dog) |
🧠 Note: “je ai” becomes “j’ai” for smoother pronunciation.
🔹 3. Common expressions with avoir
In English, you say I am hungry or I’m afraid — but in French, you say I have hunger, I have fear, etc.
Here are some important phrases:
| French expression | Literal meaning | Real meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Avoir faim: J’ai faim | I have hunger | I’m hungry |
| Avoir froid: Tu as froid | You have cold | You’re cold |
| Avoir raison: Il a raison | He has reason | He’s right |
| Avoir peur: Elle a peur | She has fear | She’s afraid |
| Avoir sommeil: Nous avons sommeil | We have sleepiness | We’re sleepy |
❌ Don’t say Je suis faim
✔️ Say J’ai faim
🔹 4. Quick practice
Try to translate these English sentences into French using avoir:
- I have two brothers → __
- You (informal) have a dog → __
- She is cold → __
- We are tired → __
- They (masculine) have a problem → __
✅ Answers
1.J’ai deux frères
2.Tu as un chien
3.Elle a froid
4.Nous avons sommeil
5.Ils ont un problème
Quiz
Ready for the next step? Take this quiz to evaluate your use of the verb avoir.
Conclusion
The verb avoir is one of the most important verbs in French.
Learn it well! It will help you speak about yourself, your feelings, your age, your life!