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.

---

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.

---

Être — To Be

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

Main Uses of Être

Use	Example	English
Identity	Je suis Marie.	I am Marie.
Nationality	Il est français.	He is French.
Profession (no article)	Elle est médecin.	She is a doctor.
Description/characteristic	Le chat est noir.	The cat is black.
Emotional/physical state	Je suis fatigué.	I am tired.
Location	Le livre est sur la table.	The book is on the table.
Time	Il est trois heures.	It is three o'clock.
Origin (with de)	Je suis de Londres.	I am from London.
Passive voice	La porte est fermée.	The door is closed.

---

Avoir — To Have

Avoir expresses possession but is also used in many expressions where English uses "to be."

Main Uses of Avoir

Use	Example	English
Possession	J'ai un chien.	I have a dog.
Family	Elle a deux frères.	She has two brothers.
Age	J'ai vingt-cinq ans.	I am 25 years old.
Physical sensations	J'ai faim.	I am hungry.
Need	J'ai besoin d'aide.	I need help.
Existence (il y a)	Il y a un chat ici.	There is a cat here.

---

The Critical Differences — Where English and French Disagree

This is where most errors occur. English uses "to be" for these expressions, but French uses avoir.

Age — Use Avoir

French	English (literal)	Natural English
J'ai vingt ans.	I have twenty years.	I am twenty.
Quel âge as-tu ?	What age do you have?	How old are you?
Elle a cinq ans.	She has five years.	She is five.

Physical Sensations — Use Avoir

French	English (literal)	Natural English
J'ai faim.	I have hunger.	I am hungry.
J'ai soif.	I have thirst.	I am thirsty.
J'ai chaud.	I have heat.	I am hot.
J'ai froid.	I have cold.	I am cold.
J'ai sommeil.	I have sleepiness.	I am sleepy.
J'ai mal à la tête.	I have pain at the head.	I have a headache.

Common mistake: Saying Je suis chaud does not mean "I am hot (temperature)." It can have a sexual connotation in French. Always use J'ai chaud for temperature.

Other "Avoir" Expressions