avoir

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to have, to own, to have, to contain, to get
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/avwaʁ/
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To hold something as part of one's life or situation.
Practice using avoir in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Elle protège ses avoirs à l'étranger.
    She protects her assets abroad.
  • Nous avons eu des billets pour le concert.
    We got tickets for the concert.
  • Ce plat a un goût étrange.
    This dish has a strange taste.
  • Tu as mon livre.
    You have my book.
  • Le livre a deux cents pages.
    The book has two hundred pages.

Similar words

détenir
biens
obtenir
éprouver
mesurer
acquérir
crédit
recevoir
patrimoine
fortune

Meanings

Own or possess

verb
ownership
neutral
To own something or have it available for use.

Examples

  • Elle a une voiture.
    She has a car.
  • Nous avons deux chiens.
    We have two dogs.
  • Tu as mon livre.
    You have my book.
  • Ils ont une maison à Lyon.
    They own a house in Lyon.
  • Je n'ai pas de monnaie.
    I don't have any change.

Similar words

posséder
détenir
disposer de

Contain or show

verb
description
neutral
To include a part, feature or quality.

Examples

  • La maison a trois chambres.
    The house has three bedrooms.
  • Cette table a une rayure.
    This table has a scratch.
  • Le livre a deux cents pages.
    The book has two hundred pages.
  • Ce plat a un goût étrange.
    This dish has a strange taste.
  • La ville a beaucoup de parcs.
    The city has many parks.

Similar words

comporter
présenter
contenir

Get or receive

verb
acquisition
neutral
To obtain or receive something.

Examples

  • Elle a eu une réponse hier.
    She got an answer yesterday.
  • Nous avons eu des billets pour le concert.
    We got tickets for the concert.
  • Il espère avoir ce poste.
    He hopes to get this job.
  • Tu auras ton cadeau demain.
    You will get your gift tomorrow.
  • Ils ont eu la permission de partir.
    They got permission to leave.

Similar words

obtenir
recevoir
acquérir

Feel or experience

verb
experience
neutral
To feel, undergo or be affected by a state or event.

Examples

  • J'ai peur du noir.
    I am afraid of the dark.
  • Elle a mal à la tête.
    She has a headache.
  • Nous avons de la chance.
    We are lucky.
  • Il a une forte fièvre.
    He has a high fever.
  • Ils ont des difficultés à dormir.
    They have trouble sleeping.

Similar words

éprouver
ressentir
subir

Indicate age or size

verb
measurement
neutral
To state someone's age or the measured size of something.

Examples

  • Elle a vingt ans.
    She is twenty years old.
  • Le mur a trois mètres de haut.
    The wall is three meters high.
  • Ce chemin a cinq kilomètres de long.
    This path is five kilometers long.
  • Mon fils a six ans.
    My son is six years old.
  • La boîte a trente centimètres de largeur.
    The box is thirty centimeters wide.

Similar words

mesurer
atteindre

Form compound tenses

verb
grammar
neutral
To help form a compound tense with most French verbs.

Examples

  • J'ai mangé une pomme.
    I ate an apple.
  • Elle a fini son travail.
    She finished her work.
  • Nous avons vu le film.
    We saw the film.
  • Ils avaient déjà dormi.
    They had already slept.
  • Tu auras terminé demain.
    You will have finished tomorrow.

Similar words

Trick or defeat someone

verb
deception
informal
To trick someone or beat them by cleverness, especially in informal speech.

Examples

  • Il m'a eu avec sa fausse histoire.
    He fooled me with his false story.
  • Tu m'as eu, je l'avoue.
    You got me, I admit it.
  • Elle a eu son adversaire au dernier tour.
    She beat her opponent in the final round.
  • Ils se sont fait avoir par un faux vendeur.
    A fake seller tricked them.
  • Cette ruse ne m'aura pas.
    This trick won't fool me.

Similar words

tromper
berner
piéger

Possessions or wealth

noun
finance
formal
Money or other property belonging to someone.

Examples

  • Son avoir a augmenté cette année.
    His assets grew this year.
  • Il a perdu une partie de son avoir.
    He lost part of his wealth.
  • Le document détaille ses avoirs.
    The document lists his assets.
  • Elle protège ses avoirs à l'étranger.
    She protects her assets abroad.
  • La famille partage son avoir.
    The family divides its wealth.

Similar words

biens
fortune
richesse
patrimoine

Credit balance or voucher

noun
commerce
neutral
Credit owed to a customer after a return, or a credit entry in an account.

Examples

  • Le magasin m'a donné un avoir.
    The shop gave me store credit.
  • Cet avoir est valable un an.
    This credit note is valid for one year.
  • J'ai utilisé mon avoir pour acheter un livre.
    I used my store credit to buy a book.
  • La comptable inscrit un avoir sur le compte.
    The accountant records a credit on the account.
  • Le client demande un avoir après le retour.
    The customer asks for store credit after the return.

Similar words

crédit
bon d'achat

Etymology

From Latin habere, ‘to have’ or ‘hold’.

FAQ

What does avoir usually mean?

Usually to have or to own, though its meaning changes with the object.

What are the present forms of avoir?

Ai, as, a, avons, avez and ont.

When is avoir an auxiliary?

It forms compound tenses of most French verbs, as in j'ai mangé.

What does un avoir mean in a shop?

A store credit or credit note given after a return.

Where does avoir come from?

From Latin habere, meaning to have or hold.

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