ELONIO
Log inSign up

Tu hai un cane.

Tu hai un cane.
You have a dog.
FromLesson 1inHardcore Italian

Breakdown of Tu hai un cane.

avere
to have
tu
you
il cane
the dog

Questions & Answers about Tu hai un cane.

Why do we use hai instead of another form of the verb avere?
In Italian, hai is the second-person singular form of avere (meaning to have). Since the subject is tu (second-person singular, informal), you use hai.
Do we always need to say tu at the start of the sentence?
Italian often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending indicates the subject. Saying Tu hai un cane emphasizes tu, but typically Italians would just say Hai un cane.
Why is the article un used before cane?
Un is the indefinite article used before masculine nouns starting with a consonant. Since cane is masculine and starts with a consonant, un is correct here.
Is cane masculine or feminine, and does that matter?
Cane is a masculine noun in Italian. Using the correct indefinite article (un) and any matching adjectives or pronouns depends on the noun’s gender.
Can this sentence mean anything else, or can it only mean You have a dog?
It specifically means You have a dog. It can’t easily be read as something else in Italian, because hai (from avere) is about possession, and cane clearly refers to a dog.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Italian grammar?”
Italian grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Italian

Master Italian — from Tu hai un cane to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Italian→