Être vs Avoir: Introduction

Être (to be) and avoir (to have) are the two most important verbs in the French language. They are used far more frequently than any other verbs, both as main verbs with their own meanings and as auxiliary verbs to form compound tenses. This lesson introduces the key differences between these two verbs and when to use each one.

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Why These Two Verbs Matter

1. Frequency: Être and avoir are the most common verbs in French. You will encounter and use them in virtually every conversation.
2. Auxiliary function: They are needed to form the past tense (passé composé), the plus-que-parfait, and other compound tenses. You cannot talk about the past without them.
3. Idiomatic usage: Many French expressions use avoir where English uses "to be" (and vice versa), creating a major source of errors for English speakers.

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Être — To Be

Être is used to describe states of being, identity, characteristics, and location.

Main Uses of Être