to have

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Contents
Module 2: The Classroom - La Salle de Classe
Leçons de vocabulaire
What’s There In The Classroom – Les Objets De la Classe
School Subjects – Les Cours Que Je Suis
Describing My Courses and Teachers– Mes Cours et Mes Professeurs
What’s the Date Today? Les Jours, Les Mois et Les Dates
How to Tell the Time? Quelle heure est-il ?
Leçons de grammaire
Saying What There Is – Il y a…
The Interrogative Form (Intro) – Comment Poser Des Questions
Introducing the Verb "Avoir" – L’Auxiliaire AVOIR (Intro)
Leçon(s) de conjugaison
L’Auxiliaire AVOIR in the present – Conjugating the auxiliary verb AVOIR (to have)
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L’Auxiliaire AVOIR – Conjugating “avoir”
(to have) in the present tense
WHY IT MATTERS :
Alongside the verb être, avoir is perhaps the most important French verb you will ever need to
know. As an auxiliary verb, avoir is highly needed in construction of compound tenses (passé
composé, pluperfect, etc.). With avoir, we can also expression ownership, possession.
Furthermore, avoir is seen in many French idioms.
Using Avoir as an auxiliary verb
In this lesson, we are not focusing specifically on the role of AVOIR as an auxiliary verb;
however, it is important to mention it. In another module (on the passé composé), we will study
it in depth. Let’s see some examples of AVOIR as a helping (auxiliary) verb.

J’ai bu deux verres de champagne. I drank/have drunk two glasses of champagne.

Chloé a pris le bus. Chloé took/has taken the bus.

Nous avions mangé avant la cérémonie. We had eaten before the ceremony.
Note: Almost all French verbs use the verb AVOIR to form all compound tenses.
Use AVOIR to express ownership/possession
In order to say that you own something, avoir is a very easy way to express possession. Here are
some examples:
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
J’ai une amie qui s’appelle Marie. I have a friend named Mary.

Nous avons de belles voitures. We have nice cars.

Karen a un prof sympa. Karen has a nice teacher.
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Conjugating AVOIR
REMEMBER THIS:
Avoir (to have)
j’ai I have
nous avons we have
tu as you have (sing.)
vous avez you have (plur. / formal)
il, elle a he, she, it has
ils, elles ont they (masc. / fem.) have
French Idioms with AVOIR [audio available: avoir-french-idioms.mp3]
There are many French idioms in French that take the verb Avoir. Here are a few:
Avoir de la chance: Tu as de de la chance. You are lucky.
Avoir froid: J’ai froid. I am cold.
Avoir chaud: Ils ont chaud. They are warm.
Avoir raison: Elle a raison. She is right.
Avoir tort: Vous avez tort. You are wrong.
Avoir peur: Elles ont peur. They are afraid
Avoir faim: Marc a faim. Marc is hungry.
Avoir soif: J’ai soif. I am thirsty.
Note: This goes specifically to
English speakers. See how in all
of these expressions, AVOIR is
translated in English by to be and
not to have? Keep that in mind
each time you want to use these
French idioms.
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LET’S PRACTICE!
A.) Which French idioms for which situations.
Modèle: Christine says 10+3=12 Elle a tort. (She is wrong)
1. We have not drunk a single drop of water for hours.
=___________________________________________________________
2. Wow, you just found 50 dollars on the street.
=___________________________________________________________
3. The people of Miami are experience a heat wave of more than 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
=___________________________________________________________
4. Caroline didn’t take my lunch with me this morning, and now...
=___________________________________________________________
5. If you say that the Moon is not a planet...
=___________________________________________________________
6. John doesn’t want to see this horror movie because…
=___________________________________________________________
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LET’S PRACTICE! [Answer Key]
A.) Which French idioms for which situations.
Modèle: Christine says 10+3=12 Elle a tort. (She is wrong)
1. We have not drunk a single drop of water for hours.
Nous avons soif
2. Wow, you just found 50 dollars on the street.
Tu as de la chance
3. The people of Miami are experience a heat wave of more than 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ils ont chaud
4. Caroline didn’t take my lunch with me this morning, and now...
Elle a faim
5. If you say that the Moon is not a planet...
Tu as raison
6. John doesn’t want to see this horror movie because…
Il a raison