French grammar - The verb 'to have' - avoir

The verb 'to have' - avoir

The French verb avoir means 'to have'.

-- avoir is the infinitive or dictionary form.

The verb avoir has the following present tense conjugations:

• j'ai - 'I have'

• tu as - 'you (singular familiar) have'

• il a & elle a - 'he has' & 'she has'

• nous avons - 'we have'

• vous avez - 'you (plural & singular formal) have'

• ils ont & elles ont - 'they (males and mixed) have' & 'they (females) have'

Examples:
	J'ai une nouvelle voiture. I have a new car. Note the contraction je + ai becomes j'ai
	Tu as le pain. You (familiar) have the bread.
	Il a un petit problème. He has a little problem.
	Elle n'a pas la clé. She doesn't have the key. clé (f) means 'key'
	Nous avons un gros chat. We have a big cat.
	Vous avez le livre vert. You (formal) have the green book. vert (m) means 'green'
	Ils ont une grande maison blanche. They have a big white house.
	Ont-elles un ordinateur puissant ? Do they (females) have a powerful computer? ordinateur (m) means 'computer' puissant (m) means 'powerful' or 'strong'
	Tu as un grand vélo, n'est-ce pas ? You (familiar) have a big bike, don't you? n'est-ce pas ? means 'is it not?' But in this context 'don't you?' is better
	Ai-je vraiment la clé ? Do I really have the key?
	As-tu une petite amie ? Do you (familiar) have a girlfriend? petite amie (f) means 'girlfriend'
	A-t-elle un petit ami ? Does she have a boyfriend? Note the injection of a t to separate the two vowels in a-t-elle petit ami (m) means 'boyfriend'
	N'a-t-il pas un nouveau voisin ? Doesn't he have a new neighbor? Note that the hyphenated verb-pronoun question is not split when negating
	Avez-vous le billet ? Do you (formal) have the ticket?
	Ont-ils un enfant ? Do they have a child? enfant (m) means 'child'
	N'ont-elles pas un frère ? Don't they (females) have a brother? frère (m) means 'brother'
	Ont-ils une table dans la pièce ? Do they have a table in the room? pièce (f) means 'room' or 'play' or 'part'
	Vous avez raison. You (formal) are right. This is the most common way to say 'You are right' in French Literally 'You have reason' raison (f) means 'reason'