Subject: French Language | Level: JHS (Basic 7 – 9) | Topic: The Verbs Être and Avoir | Difficulty: Beginner
Introduction
The two most important verbs in the French language are être (to be) and avoir (to have). Almost every sentence you will ever write or speak in French uses one of these two verbs, either directly or as a helping verb in compound tenses. Learning them perfectly is the single most important step a beginner can take. This lesson teaches both verbs in the present tense and shows you how to use them in practical sentences.
1. The Verb ÊTRE (To Be)
Conjugation of ÊTRE in the Present Tense
| Subject | Être (To Be) | English |
|---|---|---|
| Je | suis | I am |
| Tu | es | You are (informal) |
| Il / Elle | est | He is / She is |
| Nous | sommes | We are |
| Vous | êtes | You are (formal / plural) |
| Ils / Elles | sont | They are (m) / They are (f) |
Uses of ÊTRE
a) Describing identity and nationality:
- Je suis élève. (I am a student.)
- Elle est professeure. (She is a teacher.)
- Nous sommes ghanéens. (We are Ghanaian.)
- Il est africain. (He is African.)
b) Describing characteristics and physical appearance:
- Il est grand. (He is tall.)
- Elle est intelligente. (She is intelligent.)
- Vous êtes fatigués. (You are tired.)
- Je suis content(e). (I am happy.)
c) Talking about location:
- Je suis à l’école. (I am at school.)
- Nous sommes au marché. (We are at the market.)
- Il est à Kumasi. (He is in Kumasi.)
Important Note on Adjectives with ÊTRE
In French, adjectives must agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they describe.
- Il est grand. (He is tall.) – masculine singular
- Elle est grande. (She is tall.) – feminine singular (add -e)
- Ils sont grands. (They are tall.) – masculine plural (add -s)
- Elles sont grandes. (They are tall.) – feminine plural (add -es)
2. The Verb AVOIR (To Have)
Conjugation of AVOIR in the Present Tense
| Subject | Avoir (To Have) | English |
|---|---|---|
| Je | ai | I have |
| Tu | as | You have (informal) |
| Il / Elle | a | He has / She has |
| Nous | avons | We have |
| Vous | avez | You have (formal / plural) |
| Ils / Elles | ont | They have |
Uses of AVOIR
a) Expressing possession:
- J’ai un stylo. (I have a pen.)
- Elle a un livre. (She has a book.)
- Nous avons une maison. (We have a house.)
- Ils ont deux voitures. (They have two cars.)
b) Expressing age (very important!):
In French, you do NOT say “I am 14 years old.” You say “I HAVE 14 years.”
- J’ai quatorze ans. (I am 14 years old.)
- Elle a vingt ans. (She is 20 years old.)
- Nous avons treize ans. (We are 13 years old.)
c) Describing physical states (feelings and sensations):
Many feelings that use “to be” in English use AVOIR in French:
- J’ai faim. (I am hungry. Literally: I have hunger.)
- J’ai soif. (I am thirsty.)
- J’ai chaud. (I am hot.)
- J’ai froid. (I am cold.)
- J’ai peur. (I am afraid.)
- J’ai sommeil. (I am sleepy.)
- J’ai raison. (I am right.)
- J’ai tort. (I am wrong.)
3. Être vs Avoir – Common Confusions
Students often mix up ÊTRE and AVOIR. Here are the clearest rules:
| Use ÊTRE for: | Use AVOIR for: |
|---|---|
| Identity (I am a teacher) | Possession (I have a book) |
| Nationality (I am Ghanaian) | Age (I am 15 / J’ai 15 ans) |
| Physical description (She is tall) | Hunger, thirst, hot, cold, fear |
| Location (He is in Accra) | Expressing “there is/are” (Il y a) |
4. Negation with ÊTRE and AVOIR
To make a sentence negative in French, place ne… pas around the verb.
- Je suis élève. → Je ne suis pas élève. (I am not a student.)
- Il est grand. → Il n’est pas grand. (He is not tall.) (ne becomes n’ before a vowel)
- J’ai faim. → Je n’ai pas faim. (I am not hungry.)
- Elle a un livre. → Elle n’a pas de livre. (She does not have a book.) (un/une/des become “de” after negation)
5. Practice Sentences in Context
Dialogue: At school in Ghana
Teacher: Vous êtes des élèves? (Are you students?)
Students: Oui, nous sommes des élèves. (Yes, we are students.)
Teacher: Tu as quel âge, Kofi? (How old are you, Kofi?)
Kofi: J’ai quinze ans, madame. (I am fifteen, madam.)
Teacher: Tu as faim? (Are you hungry?)
Kofi: Non, je n’ai pas faim, mais j’ai soif. (No, I am not hungry, but I am thirsty.)
Summary
- ÊTRE (suis, es, est, sommes, êtes, sont) = to be. Use for identity, description, nationality, location.
- AVOIR (ai, as, a, avons, avez, ont) = to have. Use for possession, age, and physical states.
- Age in French uses AVOIR, not ÊTRE: “J’ai 15 ans” not “Je suis 15 ans.”
- Negation: ne + verb + pas. Ne becomes n’ before a vowel.
- Adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun.
Practice Exercises
- Write the correct form of ÊTRE: “Elle ___ professeure. Nous ___ à l’école. Je ___ ghanéen.”
- Write the correct form of AVOIR: “Ils ___ faim. J’ ___ seize ans. Tu ___ un crayon?”
- Translate into French: “We are not hungry. She is 18 years old. They have two books.”
- Make these sentences negative: “Il est content.” / “Nous avons une voiture.”
- Which verb do you use for age in French, and write an example sentence.
Answers: (1) est; sommes; suis (2) ont; ai; as (3) Nous n’avons pas faim. Elle a dix-huit ans. Ils ont deux livres. (4) Il n’est pas content. Nous n’avons pas de voiture. (5) AVOIR; e.g. J’ai quinze ans.
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