Unit 2 · Lesson 3
Avoir: To Have
Avoir isn't just 'to have.' In French, it's used for hunger, thirst, age, temperature, things English expresses with 'to be.'
avoir (present tense)
🤔 The tricky part
In English you say "I am hungry", in French, you say j'ai faim (I have hunger). Same idea, different verb. Avoir is used for hunger, thirst, temperature, fear, age, and more. You'll see it below.
Learn the conjugation
Six forms, commit these to memory.
avoir conjugation
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French
j'ai
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English
I have
j'ai (je + ai → j'ai before a vowel)
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Avoir expressions
Eight phrases where French uses avoir instead of être.
avoir expressions
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French
J'ai faim.
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English
I'm hungry.
Literally: 'I have hunger.' French uses avoir, not être.
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Match the forms
Connect each conjugated form to its meaning.
avoir pairs
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Click a French word, then click its English match.
Fill in the blank
Complete with the correct form of avoir.
avoir in sentences
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Hint: avoir (je form)
I'm not hungry.
Quick quiz
Test your avoir knowledge.
avoir quiz
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How do you say 'I'm hungry' in French?
You know both key French verbs, être and avoir.
Last lesson in Unit 2: how to put it all together and form simple French sentences, including negatives.