The verb avoir means to have and is used for possessing things, expressing age, forming past tenses, and more. Although its meaning is straightforward, its uses are diverse and sometimes idiomatic.
Summary
- Meaning: to have
- Function: express possession, indicate age, form compound tenses, and more
- Type: irregular verb
- Conjugated in: all standard French tenses
Conjugations
Here are the key forms of avoir in the most common French tenses:
Present Indicative
| Singular | Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Singular | French Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J’ai | Nous avons | I have | We have | J’ai | Nous avons |
| Tu as | Vous avez | You have | You have | Tu as | Vous avez |
| Il/Elle a | Ils/Elles ont | He/She has | They have | Il/Elle a | Ils/Elles ont |
Passé Composé (Compound Past)
| Singular | Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Singular | French Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J’ai eu | Nous avons eu | I had / I have had | We had / We have had | J’ai eu | Nous avons eu |
| Tu as eu | Vous avez eu | You had / You have had | You had / You have had | Tu as eu | Vous avez eu |
| Il/Elle a eu | Ils/Elles ont eu | He/She had / has had | They had / have had | Il/Elle a eu | Ils/Elles ont eu |
Imperfect (Past Habitual)
| Singular | Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Singular | French Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J’avais | Nous avions | I used to have | We used to have | J’avais | Nous avions |
| Tu avais | Vous aviez | You used to have | You used to have | Tu avais | Vous aviez |
| Il/Elle avait | Ils/Elles avaient | He/She used to have | They used to have | Il/Elle avait | Ils/Elles avaient |
Future Simple
| Singular | Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Singular | French Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J’aurai | Nous aurons | I will have | We will have | J’aurai | Nous aurons |
| Tu auras | Vous aurez | You will have | You will have | Tu auras | Vous aurez |
| Il/Elle aura | Ils/Elles auront | He/She will have | They will have | Il/Elle aura | Ils/Elles auront |
Conditional Present
| Singular | Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Singular | French Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J’aurais | Nous aurions | I would have | We would have | J’aurais | Nous aurions |
| Tu aurais | Vous auriez | You would have | You would have | Tu aurais | Vous auriez |
| Il/Elle aurait | Ils/Elles auraient | He/She would have | They would have | Il/Elle aurait | Ils/Elles auraient |
Subjunctive Present
| Singular | Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Singular | French Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| que j’aie | que nous ayons | that I have | that we have | que j’aie | que nous ayons |
| que tu aies | que vous ayez | that you have | that you have | que tu aies | que vous ayez |
| qu’il/elle ait | qu’ils/elles aient | that he/she has | that they have | qu’il/elle ait | qu’ils/elles aient |
Imperative (Commands)
| Singular | Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Singular | French Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (tu) aie | (nous) ayons | Have (you) | Let’s have | aie | ayons |
| (vous) ayez | — | Have (you all) | — | ayez | — |
Usage
. Expressing Possession
Use avoir to say you have something.
- J’ai un livre. (I have a book.)
- Nous avons deux chiens. (We have two dogs.)
- Ils ont une maison. (They have a house.)
. Expressing Age
Use avoir + ans to state someone's age.
- J’ai 20 ans. (I am 20 years old.)
- Elle a 30 ans. (She is 30 years old.)
- Nous avons 15 ans. (We are 15 years old.)
. Forming Compound Tenses
avoir is the auxiliary verb for most French verbs in the passé composé.
- J’ai mangé. (I ate / I have eaten.)
- Tu as fini. (You finished / You have finished.)
- Ils ont parlé. (They spoke / They have spoken.)
. Expressing States or Needs
Some fixed expressions use avoir to express feelings or needs.
- J’ai faim. (I’m hungry.)
- Tu as soif. (You’re thirsty.)
- Il a sommeil. (He’s sleepy.)
Common Expressions
Here are some common idiomatic phrases using avoir:
| French Expression | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| avoir besoin de ... | to need ... |
| avoir envie de ... | to want / feel like ... |
| avoir peur de ... | to be afraid of ... |
| avoir raison | to be right |
| avoir tort | to be wrong |
| avoir lieu | to take place |
| avoir chaud / froid | to be hot / cold |
- J’ai besoin d’aide. (I need help.)
- Elle a peur des chiens. (She’s afraid of dogs.)
- Nous avons raison. (We are right.)
Tips
- Pronunciation: The ai in j’ai sounds like the English word eh. The s in as and pas is silent.
- Contractions: Always contract je to j’ before a vowel (e.g., j’ai).
- Spelling: Be careful not to confuse a (he/she has) with à (to).
- Memory: Knowing avoir is essential for learning nearly all other French grammar.
Flashcards (1 of 27)
- Singular: J’ai
- Plural: Nous avons
- English Singular: I have
- English Plural: We have
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
