Avoir and être (AQA GCSE French): Revision Notes
Avoir and être
These two essential French verbs meaning "to have" and "to be" are among the most frequently used in the language. Both verbs are irregular, which means their conjugations don't follow standard patterns, so you'll need to memorise their forms carefully. Understanding when and how to use these verbs correctly is crucial for building solid French foundations.
Avoir (to have)
The verb avoir is used much more broadly in French than "to have" is in English. Beyond showing possession, avoir expresses age, physical sensations, and certain emotions.
Key concept: In French, avoir appears in many expressions where English uses "to be". This is one of the most important differences between English and French that students need to master.
Conjugation of avoir
| Person | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je/j' | j'ai | I have |
| tu | tu as | you have (informal) |
| il/elle | il/elle a | he/she has |
| nous | nous avons | we have |
| vous | vous avez | you have (formal/plural) |
| ils/elles | ils/elles ont | they have |
When to use avoir
In French, avoir appears in many expressions where English uses "to be". This is particularly true for:
Age: Instead of saying "I am 16", French uses "I have 16 years"
Worked Example: Expressing Age
English: "I am 16 years old" French: "J'ai seize ans" (literally: "I have 16 years")
The structure is always: subject + avoir + number + ans
Physical sensations: Hunger, thirst, fear, and feeling hot or cold
- J'ai faim - I am hungry
- J'ai froid - I am cold
- Il a peur du noir - He is afraid of the dark
Être (to be)
The verb être functions similarly to English "to be" for describing identity, nationality, location, and permanent characteristics. However, students often make mistakes by overusing être where other verbs should be used instead.
Conjugation of être
| Person | French | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | je suis | I am |
| tu | tu es | you are (informal) |
| il/elle | il/elle est | he/she is |
| nous | nous sommes | we are |
| vous | vous êtes | you are (formal/plural) |
| ils/elles | ils/elles sont | they are |
Common mistake with être
Critical Error to Avoid
The most frequent error students make is adding être unnecessarily when using other verbs. Remember that you shouldn't simply replace every English "am/is/are" with the corresponding form of être.
Incorrect: Je suis parle (trying to say "I am talking") Correct: Je parle (I speak/am speaking)
Incorrect: Nous suis allons (trying to say "we are going")
Correct: Nous allons (we go/are going)
Useful vocabulary and phrases
Understanding these common expressions will help you use both verbs more naturally in conversation.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| j'ai trois frères | I have three brothers |
| vous avez tort | you're wrong |
| j'ai mal à la tête | I have a headache |
| j'ai besoin d'un stylo | I need a pen |
| je suis anglais(e) | I am English |
| nous sommes frères | we are brothers |
| ils sont étudiants | they are students |
Notice how avoir is used for needs and physical states (j'ai besoin, j'ai mal), while être is used for identity and nationality (je suis anglais, ils sont étudiants).
Auxiliary verbs
Both avoir and être serve as auxiliary verbs to form compound tenses like the perfect tense (passé composé). Most verbs use avoir as their auxiliary, but certain verbs of movement and reflexive verbs use être.
Agreement Rule: When using être as an auxiliary verb, the past participle must agree with the subject in gender and number, just like an adjective. This agreement rule does NOT apply when using avoir as an auxiliary.
Examples with auxiliary verbs
With avoir (no agreement needed):
- J'ai mangé - I have eaten
- Nous avons payé - We have paid
With être (agreement required):
- Elle est allée - She has gone (feminine, so 'e' added)
- Ils sont partis - They have gone (masculine plural, so 's' added)
Example sentences
Present tense:
- J'ai dix-huit ans - I am eighteen years old
- Tu es très gentil - You are very kind
- Elle a soif - She is thirsty
- Nous sommes en France - We are in France
Past tense (using as auxiliaries):
- J'ai fini mes devoirs - I have finished my homework
- Elle est arrivée hier - She arrived yesterday
Translation exercises
Practice Exercise: Translation
French to English:
- Nous sommes en France
- Elle est travailleuse
English to French: 3. I am hungry 4. They are in the house
Answers:
- We are in France
- She is hardworking
- J'ai faim
- Ils/Elles sont dans la maison
Key Points to Remember:
- Avoir and être are both irregular verbs - memorise their conjugations completely
- Use avoir for age, hunger, thirst, fear, and temperature sensations
- Don't add être unnecessarily with other verbs - avoid saying "je suis parle"
- Both verbs serve as auxiliaries for compound tenses
- When être is the auxiliary verb, the past participle must agree with the subject
- Practice these verbs regularly as they're essential building blocks for French fluency