French for Beginners: Expressing Possession with 'avoir' (to have)
Learn to use the French verb 'avoir' (to have) to express possession for different subjects, such as 'I have a bike' and 'she has a car'.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In French, the verb 'avoir' (to have) is essential for expressing possession. Unlike English, where 'have' changes to 'has' for third-person singular, French uses different forms for each subject pronoun. This lesson will teach you how to conjugate 'avoir' in the present tense and use it to say what people have. You'll learn to form sentences like 'J'ai un vélo' (I have a bike) and 'Elle a une voiture' (She has a car). We'll focus on the verb itself, not possessive adjectives like 'mon' or 'ton'. By the end, you'll be able to talk about what you and others have.
By the end, you can…
- conjugate the verb 'avoir' in the present tense for all subject pronouns.
- form simple sentences to express what someone has using 'avoir' + noun.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
J'ai un vélo.
I have a bike.
zhay uh(n) vay-loh
Use 'j'ai' for 'I have'. 'Un' is the masculine indefinite article.
Tu as une voiture.
You have a car.
tew ah ewn vwah-tewr
Use 'tu as' for informal 'you have'. 'Une' is feminine.
Il a un chat.
He has a cat.
eel ah uh(n) shah
Use 'il a' for 'he has'. The 'a' is pronounced like 'ah'.
Elle a une maison.
She has a house.
ell ah ewn may-zoh(n)
Use 'elle a' for 'she has'. Note the liaison between 'a' and 'une'.
Nous avons des livres.
We have some books.
noo zah-voh(n) day leevr
Use 'nous avons' for 'we have'. 'Des' is the plural indefinite article.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The verb 'avoir' is irregular but follows a consistent pattern in the present tense. The endings are: -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont. For example: j'ai (I have), tu as (you have), il/elle/on a (he/she/one has), nous avons (we have), vous avez (you have), ils/elles ont (they have). To express possession, simply use the correct form of 'avoir' followed by a noun with an article. For instance, 'J'ai un stylo' (I have a pen) or 'Ils ont une voiture' (They have a car). Remember that the article must agree in gender and number with the noun.
When to use it
Use 'avoir' whenever you want to state that someone possesses something. This is similar to English 'have/has', but French uses the same verb for all subjects, just with different endings. For example, 'Tu as un chien' (You have a dog) and 'Elle a un chat' (She has a cat). Note that in French, you also use 'avoir' for age: 'J'ai vingt ans' (I am twenty years old), literally 'I have twenty years'. However, for this lesson, focus on possession of objects. Also, in negative sentences, wrap 'ne...pas' around the verb: 'Je n'ai pas de vélo' (I don't have a bike).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Salut ! Tu as un vélo ?
Hi! Do you have a bike?sah-lew tew ah uh(n) vay-lohOui, j'ai un vélo rouge. Et toi ?
Yes, I have a red bike. And you?wee zhay uh(n) vay-loh roozh ay twahNon, je n'ai pas de vélo. Mais ma sœur a une voiture.
No, I don't have a bike. But my sister has a car.noh(n) zhuh nay pah duh vay-loh meh mah sur ah ewn vwah-tewrAh bon ? Elle a aussi un vélo ?
Really? Does she also have a bike?ah boh(n) ell ah oh-see uh(n) vay-lohA little context goes a long way
In French, the verb 'avoir' is used in many expressions where English uses 'to be', such as 'avoir faim' (to be hungry) and 'avoir soif' (to be thirsty). While this lesson focuses on possession, be aware that 'avoir' is versatile. Also, in informal spoken French, 'on' is often used instead of 'nous' for 'we', so 'on a' means 'we have'. For example, 'On a une voiture' (We have a car). This is common in everyday conversation but less so in formal writing.
One thing to watch for
Using 'être' (to be) instead of 'avoir' for possession, saying 'Je suis un vélo' to mean 'I have a bike'.
Try this instead: Always use 'avoir' for possession. The correct sentence is 'J'ai un vélo'. 'Être' means 'to be', so 'Je suis un vélo' would mean 'I am a bike', which is nonsensical.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'She has a cat' in French?
Show a sample answer
Elle a un chat.
Use 'elle a' for 'she has' and 'un chat' for 'a cat'. 'Un' is masculine because 'chat' is masculine.
2Conjugate 'avoir' for 'nous' (we).
Show a sample answer
Nous avons
The form for 'nous' is 'avons'. For example, 'Nous avons une maison' (We have a house).
3Translate: 'They (masculine) have books.'
Show a sample answer
Ils ont des livres.
Use 'ils ont' for 'they have' and 'des livres' for 'books'. 'Des' is the plural indefinite article.
To express possession in French, use the verb 'avoir' conjugated for the subject, followed by a noun with an article. Remember: j'ai, tu as, il/elle a, nous avons, vous avez, ils/elles ont.
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