Avoir and être (Edexcel GCSE French): Revision Notes
Avoir and être
Introduction
Avoir (to have) and être (to be) are two of the most important verbs in French. Both verbs are irregular, which means their conjugations don't follow the standard pattern - you must learn each form separately.
These two verbs are absolutely essential for French communication and appear in countless everyday expressions. Mastering them early will significantly improve your French fluency.
Avoir conjugations and usage
Avoir means "to have" and is used in many different ways in French.
Present tense conjugations
| French | English | Pronunciation tip |
|---|---|---|
| j'ai | I have | sounds like "zhay" |
| tu as | you have (informal) | sounds like "too ah" |
| il/elle a | he/she has | sounds like "eel/ell ah" |
| nous avons | we have | sounds like "noo zah-von" |
| vous avez | you have (formal/plural) | sounds like "voo zah-vay" |
| ils/elles ont | they have | sounds like "eel/ell on" |
When to use avoir
In French, you use avoir for several specific situations that might seem unusual if you're thinking in English:
- Age: Instead of saying "I am 16", you say "I have 16 years"
- Physical sensations: hunger, thirst, fear, being hot/cold
- Possession: having objects, siblings, etc.
Common Avoir Expressions:
- J'ai seize ans. - I am 16 years old.
- J'ai faim. - I am hungry.
- Il a peur du noir. - He is afraid of the dark.
- J'ai froid. - I am cold.
Être conjugations and common mistakes
Être means "to be" and describes what someone or something is like.
Present tense conjugations
| French | English | Pronunciation tip |
|---|---|---|
| je suis | I am | sounds like "zhuh swee" |
| tu es | you are (informal) | sounds like "too ay" |
| il/elle est | he/she is | sounds like "eel/ell ay" |
| nous sommes | we are | sounds like "noo som" |
| vous êtes | you are (formal/plural) | sounds like "voo zet" |
| ils/elles sont | they are | sounds like "eel/ell son" |
Important warning about être
Common Mistake to Avoid:
The most common mistake students make with être is adding it unnecessarily when using other verbs. Don't automatically replace "am/are/is" with être forms.
Wrong: Je suis parle (I am talking)
Correct: Je parle (I am talking)
Wrong: Nous suis allons (We are going)
Correct: Nous allons (We are going)
Être Usage Examples:
- Je suis anglais(e). - I am English.
- La table est marron. - The table is brown.
- Ils sont étudiants. - They are students.
Useful phrases with avoir and être
These phrases will help you use both verbs naturally in conversation:
With avoir:
- 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.
With être:
- Nous sommes frères. - We are brothers.
Auxiliary verbs - forming compound tenses
Both avoir and être serve as auxiliary verbs, meaning they help form compound tenses like the perfect tense (passé composé). This is crucial for GCSE French.
How it works
You use the present tense of avoir or être + past participle to form the perfect tense.
Perfect Tense Agreement Rule:
When using être as an auxiliary, the past participle must agree with the subject:
- Add -e for feminine
- Add -s for plural
- Add -es for feminine plural
Perfect Tense Examples:
With avoir:
- J'ai mangé. - I have eaten.
- Nous avons payé. - We have paid.
With être:
- Ils sont partis. - They have left.
- Elle est allée... - She has gone... (note: past participle agrees with the subject)
Translation practice
French to English:
- Elle a quinze ans.
- Nous sommes fatigués.
English to French: 3. I am hungry. 4. They have a dog.
Answers:
- She is 15 years old.
- We are tired.
- J'ai faim.
- Ils ont un chien.
Key Points to Remember:
- Avoir and être are irregular - memorise each conjugation form
- Use avoir for age, physical sensations (hunger, cold, fear) and possession
- Use être to describe what someone or something is like
- Don't add être unnecessarily with other verbs
- Both verbs work as auxiliaries to form the perfect tense
- With être as auxiliary, past participles must agree with the subject