The present tense in FrenchIrregular verbs - avoir and être

Avoir (to have) and être (to be) are key verbs that are used in lots of constructions.

Avoir is irregular, so it doesn’t follow the same rules as regular verbs:

Avoir is often used in the same way as ‘to have’ in English. For example:

• J’ai un chien. – I have a dog.
• Ils ont une maison en France. – They have a house in France.

However, it sometimes translates to the verb ‘to be’, or it is found in expressions where completely different verbs are used in English. Common expressions using avoir include:

• avoir chaud – to be hot
• avoir froid – to be cold
• avoir faim – to be hungry
• avoir soif – to be thirsty
• avoir raison – to be right
• avoir tort – to be wrong
• avoir … ans – to be … years old
• avoir besoin de – to need
• avoir envie de – to want to

Être (to be) is another common irregular verb:

Être is often used with adjectives. For example:

• Ma mère est italienne. – My mum is Italian.
• Je suis très grand(e). – I am very tall.
• Ils sont travailleurs. – They are hardworking.

Choose the correct form ofavoirorêtrefor these sentences.