Être and Avoir in French: A Practical Guide

[vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”Être and Avoir in French: A Practical Guide” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h1″ font_weight=”default” sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]Être (to be) and avoir (to have) are two of the most important verbs in French. You’ll come across them constantly in everyday conversations and in many beginner French phrases.

For beginners, however, knowing when and how to use them can sometimes be confusing. In this practical guide to être and avoir, you’ll learn how to conjugate these two essential verbs, when to use them, and how they work as auxiliary verbs.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”18855″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”1. Conjugating être and avoir in French” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”default” text_transform=”none” sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]The two verbs être (to be) and avoir (to have) are essential in French. Learning how to use them correctly will help you master French grammar and communicate more confidently. They are also used as auxiliary verbs to form compound tenses, as we’ll see later in this article.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

How to conjugate avoir (to have)

Avoir is an irregular verb, but don’t worry! Start by learning the present tense in French of avoir. The stems used for the imparfait (imperfect) and futur simple are fairly easy to remember, as you’ll see below:

Present	Imparfait	Futur simple
J’ai	J’avais	J’aurai
Tu as	Tu avais	Tu auras
Il/Elle/On a	Il/Elle/On avait	Il/Elle/On aura
Nous avons	Nous avions	Nous aurons
Vous avez	Vous aviez	Vous aurez
Ils/Elles ont	Ils/Elles avaient	Ils/Elles auront

For more practice, check out my complete guide to the futur simple and futur proche, with detailed conjugations and examples.

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How to conjugate être (to be)

Etre is also quite different from one tense to another. This is a lot to remember, so don’t try to memorize all tenses at once.

Present	Imparfait	Futur simple
Je suis	J’étais	Je serai
Tu es	Tu étais	Tu seras
Il/Elle/On est	Il/Elle/On était	Il/Elle/On sera
Nous sommes	Nous étions	Nous serons
Vous êtes	Vous étiez	Vous serez
Ils/Elles sont	Ils/Elles étaient	Ils/Elles seront

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Need more practice? You can review the conjugation of être on the Bescherelle website.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”18858″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”2. Using avoir in conversations” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”default” text_transform=”none” sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]Avoir is one of the most important French verbs. Let’s see how we can use it in every day conversations.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Talking about age

• Quel âge as-tu / quel âge avez-vous ?  = How old are you ?
• J’ai 23 ans = I’m 23

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People

• Est-ce qu’elle a un enfant ? = Does she have a child ?
• Oui, elle a une fille / Non, elle n’a pas d’enfant = Yes, she has a daughter / No, she has no children
• Vous avez un bon médecin = We have a good doctor

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Material objects

• Tu as une voiture / une maison = You have a car / a house

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Concepts and notions

• J’ai faim / soif / chaud / froid … = I’m hungry / thirsty / hot / cold
• Tu as rendez-vous à 17 heures = You have an appointment at 5pm
• Ils ont de la chance = They have luck (they are lucky)

[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”18857″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row gap=”0px” css_animation=”none” css=”.vc_custom_1788427109573{background-color: #E8F0EB !important;}”][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”Build Your Confidence in French” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”default” text_transform=”none” sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]Learning essential verbs like être and avoir gives you a strong foundation. With my online French lessons, you can develop your speaking skills and learn to use French more naturally.[/vc_column_text][insignia_button btn_text=”Discover Online French Lessons” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.frenchwithagnes.com%2Fonline-french-lessons%2F|title:Discover%20Online%20French%20Lessons|target:_blank” button_size=”btn-medium” button_align=”text-center” enable_icon=”” text_font_weight=”font-weight-600″ btn_bg_color=”#5C977A” hover_bg_color=”#6FAF8F” border_color=”#5C977A” hover_border_color=”#6FAF8F”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”3. Specific uses of être” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”default” text_transform=”none” sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]In addition, être is essential in French and used on a daily basis, especially to describe people.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Job

• Tu es vétérinaire = You are a veterinarian
• Il est avocat = He’s a lawyer

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Nationality

• Est-ce que vous êtes française ? = Are you French ?
• Elles sont australiennes = They are Australian

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Qualities

• Vous êtes gentils = You are nice
• Il est intelligent = He’s smart
• Je suis patiente = I’m patient

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Status

• Je ne suis pas libre vendredi prochain = I’m not available next Friday
• Elle est mariée / divorcée / célibataire = She’s married / divorced /  single
• Nous sommes en avance / à l’heure / en retard = We are early / on time / late

[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”18856″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”4. Être or avoir as auxiliary in compound verb tenses” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”default” text_transform=”none” sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]In addition to being very common verbs in French, être and avoir have distinct functions outside of their simple meanings. Indeed, when used in conjunction with other verbs, these two verbs are called auxiliaries. They then create many compound tenses in French :

• le passé composé ;
• le plus-que-parfait (pluperfect) ;
• le futur antérieur (the future perfect) ;
• conditionnel passé (the past conditional) ;
• and le subjonctif passé (the past subjonctive).

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When to use avoir as an auxiliary

Avoir is used at the Passé Composé with the majority of the verbs. With avoir, the past participle doesn’t change. We will see shortly the exceptions below.

Manger	Vouloir	Prendre
J’ai mangé	J’ai voulu	J’ai pris
Tu as mangé	Tu as voulu	Tu as pris
Il/Elle/On a mangé	Il/Elle/On a voulu	Il/Elle/On a pris
Nous avons mangé	Nous avons voulu	Nous avons pris
Vous avez mangé	Vous avez voulu	Vous avez pris
Ils/Elles ont mangé	Ils/Elles ont voulu	Ils/Elles ont pris

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The same rules apply for the other compound tenses. So, if a verb is using the auxiliary avoir at the passé composé, then it will be the case for : the plus-que-parfait, the conditionnel passé, the futur antérieur, the subjonctif passé. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Using être as an auxiliary

We use être at the compound tenses for all the verbs of the Maison Etre as well as the reflexive verbs.

In addition, when we use être as an auxiliary, the past participle must agree with the gender and number of the subject. The participle is therefore as an adjective.

How does it work ?

• An -e is added to past participles of feminine subjects ;
• An -s is added to past participles of plural subjects ;
• And for subjects that are both feminine and plural, -e and -s are added to the past participle.

Partir	Se lever
Je suis parti(e)	Je me suis levé(e)
Tu es parti(e)	Tu t’es levé(e)
Il/Elle/On est parti(e)	Il/Elle/On s’est levé(e)
Nous sommes parti(e)s	Nous nous sommes levé(e)s
Vous êtes parti(e)(s)	Vous vous êtes levé(e)(s)
Ils/Elles sont parti(e)s	Ils/Elles se sont levé(e)s

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Verbs using both auxiliaries être and avoir

Did you know that some verbs can use être and avoir at the passé composé ? You’ll find the list below to avoid any confusion. Indeed, the meaning will change !

• Descendre = with être, got off, went down / with avoir, took down
  • Tu es descendu(e) du train = You got off the train.
  • J’ai descendu l’escalier = I went downstairs.
• Monter = with être, went down / with avoir, took up
  • Elles sont montées = They went upstairs.
  • Nous avons monté nos affaires = We took up our things
• Passer = with être, passed by / with avoir, spent
  • Je suis passé(e) à la poste = I passed by the post office
  • Elle a passé un mois à Bali = He spent a month in Bali
• Rentrer = with être, came in / with avoir, brought in
  • Vous êtes rentré(e)(s) tard= You came home late
  • Elle a rentré le linge = She brought in the laundry
• Retourner = with être, returned / with avoir, turned over
  • Ils sont retourné à Londres = They returned to London
  • Ils ont retourné la table = They turned over the table
• Sortir = with être, went out / with avoir, took out
  • Elles sont sorties = They went out
  • Il a sorti les poubelles = He took out the garbage

[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”18859″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row gap=”0px” css_animation=”none” css=”.vc_custom_1788427109573{background-color: #E8F0EB !important;}”][vc_column][insignia_section_heading title=”Ready to Put Être and Avoir into Practice?” subtitle=”” add_icon=”” heading_tag=”h2″ font_weight=”default” text_transform=”none” sub_font_weight=”default”][vc_column_text]Être and avoir are two of the most important verbs in French. They appear constantly in everyday conversations and are also used to form several compound tenses. Mastering them will give you a stronger foundation in French grammar and help you build sentences more naturally.

If you would like personalised guidance and more opportunities to practise these essential verbs, feel free to contact me to discuss your French learning goals.[/vc_column_text][insignia_button btn_text=”Start your French Lessons” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.frenchwithagnes.com%2Fcontact-private-french-tutor%2F|title:Contact%20you%20French%20Tutor|target:_blank” button_size=”btn-medium” button_align=”text-center” enable_icon=”” text_font_weight=”font-weight-600″ btn_bg_color=”#5C977A” hover_bg_color=”#6FAF8F” border_color=”#5C977A” hover_border_color=”#6FAF8F”][/vc_column][/vc_row]