The Verb "Avoir" (To Have)
The verb avoir (to have) is one of the most common and important verbs in French. It is irregular, meaning its forms do not follow a predictable pattern.
Here are the singular forms:
| Subject | Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| je | ai | I have |
| tu | as | you have (informal) |
| il / elle | a | he / she has |
Notice that je drops its "e" and uses an apostrophe to become j' before ai. This always happens when je is followed by a verb that starts with a vowel.
| I have a phone. | J'ai un téléphone. |
| You have a bike. | Tu as un vélo. |
| He has a small motorcycle. | Il a une petite moto. |
| She has an interesting idea. | Elle a une idée intéressante. |
Adding Emphasis
You can pair these verb forms with the stressed pronouns from the previous lesson (like moi or toi) to emphasize who owns what, or to bounce a question back to someone else.
| I myself have a modern tablet. | Moi, j'ai une tablette moderne. |
| And you, do you have a television? | Et toi, tu as une télévision ? |
Nouns as Subjects
When the subject of your sentence is a singular noun—like a person, a student, or a boy—you will use a, exactly as you do for il and elle.
| The student has a bike and a motorcycle. | L'étudiant a un vélo et une moto. |
| The boy has amusing ideas. | Le garçon a des idées amusantes. |
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