The Fundamentals of Avoir Conjugation in French
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The verb avoir (to have) is without doubt one of the mostly used verbs in French (after the French verb être). You’ll use avoir to precise possession, communicate prior to now tense, and say widespread French expressions. Mastering la conjugaison d’avoir (avoir conjugation) is among the many most vital French grammar guidelines to enhance your fluency. Use this information to know avoir in quite a lot of tenses and contexts.
Avoir conjugation within the current tense
Earlier than diving into different French verb tenses, it’s essential to discover ways to conjugate avoir within the current tense. Understanding these fundamentals will help you ask questions, specific your age, and rather more. Plus, you’ll use these conjugations in different tenses!
| j’ai | I’ve | nous avons | We’ve got |
| tu as | You’ve (singular, casual) | vous avez | You’ve (plural and/or formal) |
| il/elle a | He/She has | ils/elles ont | They’ve |
Listed here are just a few instance sentences utilizing avoir within the current tense:
- J’ai trente ans. = I’m (have) thirty years outdated.
- Il a deux frères et une sœur. = He has two brothers and one sister.
- Avez-vous l’heure ? = Do you might have the time?
The expression il y a (there’s/there are) is a basic current tense avoir conjugation to make use of in quite a lot of conditions:
- Il y a un café à côté de chez moi. = There’s a café subsequent door to my home.
- Il y a des chaises dans la salle. = There are chairs within the room.
You can too use avoir as a transitive verb with a direct object:
- Tu as une nouvelle voiture. = You’ve a brand new automotive.
Conjugating avoir within the passé composé (previous tense)
To conjugate avoir within the passé composé, use the current tense conjugation with the previous participle eu (had). Use this tense to debate sudden adjustments or different actions that have been accomplished shortly and at particular instances.
| j’ai eu | I had | nous avons eu | We had |
| tu as eu | You had (singular, casual) | vous avez eu | You had (plural and/or formal) |
| il/elle a eu | He/She had | ils/elles ont eu | They’d |
Listed here are some examples of when to make use of avoir within the passé composé:
- Hier, j’ai eu un accident de voiture. = Yesterday, I had a automotive accident.
- Elle a eu une bonne idée. = She had a good suggestion.
- Nous avons eu l’event de les voir après le spectacle. = We had the chance to see them after the present.
Utilizing avoir as an auxiliary verb within the passé composé
The passé composé in French is used to precise accomplished actions prior to now, usually referencing particular occasions. Understanding être and avoir conjugation is required for auxiliary verbs, however avoir is rather more widespread. Use the current tense avoir conjugations because the auxiliary/serving to verb to kind the passé composé:
- Tu as fait tes devoirs ? = Have you ever performed your homework?
- Nous avons acheté une baguette. = We purchased a baguette.
- Ils ont donné un cadeau à leur mère. = They gave a gift to their mom.
Be aware that we don’t at all times use a type of “have” in English prior to now tense, however it’s needed in French.
Avoir conjugation within the imparfait (imperfect tense)
To speak extra usually in regards to the previous, use the French imparfait. The imparfait conjugation of avoir will help you discuss belongings you used to have or different ongoing or repeated previous occasions.
| j’avais | I had/used to have/was having | nous avions | We had/used to have/have been having |
| tu avais | You had/used to have/have been having (singular, casual) | vous aviez | You had/used to have/have been having (plural and/or formal) |
| il/elle avait | He/She had/used to have/was having | ils/elles avaient | They’d/used to have/have been having |
The expression il y a (there’s/there are) is often used within the imperfect tense to explain normal background data, particularly when telling a narrative. In any other case, use the imparfait to talk usually in regards to the previous.
- Il y avait un practice tous les jours. = There was a practice each day.
- Vous aviez des corvées quand vous étiez jeunes ? = Did you used to have chores while you have been younger?
- Tu avais quel âge l’été dernier ? = You have been (had) what age final summer season?
Conjugating avoir within the futur easy (future tense)
To talk with certainty about issues sooner or later, use the futur easy. In English, we use the phrase “will” to conjugate sooner or later tense. In French, you merely want to make use of the avoir conjugations within the following chart.
| j’aurai | I’ll have | nous aurons | We can have |
| tu auras | You’ll have (singular, casual) | vous aurez | You’ll have (plural and/or formal) |
| il/elle aura | He/She can have | ils/elles auront | They are going to have |
Be aware that additionally it is widespread to make use of the expression il y aura (there will likely be), the long run tense of il y a (there’s/there are):
- Il y aura une tempête demain. = There will likely be a storm tomorrow.
Another examples of the futur easy embody:
- Elles auront un examen vendredi. = They are going to have a take a look at Friday.
- J’aurai quarante ans cette année. = I will likely be (have) forty years outdated this yr.
Conjugating avoir within the conditionnel (conditional temper)
The French conditional temper is used to precise the English equal “would.” Though the conjugations look much like these of the long run tense, the conditional temper is used to precise actions that will occur on the situation of one thing else taking place first. It’s usually used with the imparfait to speak about these circumstances.
| j’aurais | I might have | nous aurions | We might have |
| tu aurais | You’d have (singular, casual) | vous auriez | You’d have (plural and/or formal) |
| il/elle aurait | He/She would have | ils/elles auraient | They might have |
Use the phrase si (if) and the imperfect to speak within the conditional temper:
- Si elle avait plus d’argent, elle aurait une nouvelle gown. = If she had extra money, she would have a brand new gown.
You can too use the previous tense of this components, utilizing avoir because the auxiliary verb (within the imperfect and conditional, respectively):
- Si j’avais su, j’aurais dit la vérité. = If I had identified, I might have informed the reality.
Widespread French expressions that use avoir
Many of those expressions don’t have the verb “to have” in English however use avoir in French.
Incorporating them into your conversations is a good way to sound extra like a local speaker.
| Expression | English |
| avoir besoin (de) | to have want (of) |
| avoir chaud | to be sizzling |
| avoir du mal (à) | to have hassle (doing one thing) |
| avoir envie (de) | to need/really feel like (doing one thing) |
| avoir faim | to be hungry |
| avoir froid | to be chilly |
| avoir hâte (de) | to be excited (about) |
| avoir honte (de) | to be ashamed (of) |
| avoir l’air | to look |
| avoir l’heure | to have the time |
| avoir la flemme | to not really feel like doing something |
| avoir lieu | to happen |
| avoir mal (à la tête, au ventre) | to harm (to have a headache, stomachache) |
| avoir peur (de) | to be afraid (of) |
| avoir raison | to be proper |
| avoir soif | to be thirsty |
| avoir tort | to be unsuitable |
You should utilize quite a lot of tenses to precise your which means:
- Le rendez-vous aura lieu mercredi. = The assembly will happen Wednesday.
- Tu as tort ! J’ai raison. = You are unsuitable! I am proper.
- Hier, il a eu la flemme. = Yesterday, he didn’t really feel like doing something.
- J’ai hâte de te voir ! = I am excited to see you!
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