Module 4 of 10
Avoir, in full
The verb behind having, age, and half the questions you will be asked.
Avoir is the second verb worth knowing completely, and the six forms do not resemble each other any more than être's do: j'ai, tu as, il a, nous avons, vous avez, ils ont. Learn them in that order and in one go. Ils ont and ils sont are one consonant apart and mean entirely different things, so say them next to each other until your ear separates them.
One rule rides along with avoir and surprises everyone: after a negative, un, une and des all collapse into de. J'ai un stylo becomes je n'ai pas de stylo. J'ai des amis becomes je n'ai pas d'amis. It is not optional and it is not regional, and the version with pas un in it is the clearest sign in a transcript that someone is translating out of English in their head.
Played by your device’s own French voice. It is a synthetic voice, not a recording of a teacher — close enough to learn the shape of a word, not close enough to copy exactly.
- J'aiI have
- Tu asYou have — familiar
- Il a / Elle aHe has / she has
- Nous avonsWe have
- Vous avezYou have — polite or plural
- Ils ont / Elles ontThey have
- Vous avez une chambre ?Do you have a room?
- Je n'ai pas de styloI do not have a pen — after a negative, un becomes de
Learn all six forms of avoir together, and hear ils ont against ils sont. After pas, un/une/des all become de.