Être and avoir
"To be" and "to have", the two verbs everything leans on.
être "to be" and avoir "to have" are the commonest verbs, and both are irregular. They also help form the past tense; see The passé composé.
ils sont "they are" has an s sound; ils ont "they have" has the z of liaison. Listen for it: it's the only difference.
avoir where English says "be"
| French | English |
|---|---|
| avoir … ans | to be … years old |
| avoir faim, avoir soif | to be hungry, thirsty |
| avoir chaud, avoir froid | to be hot, cold |
| avoir peur | to be afraid |
| avoir raison, avoir tort | to be right, wrong |
| avoir sommeil | to be sleepy |
| avoir besoin de | to need |
| avoir envie de | to feel like, want |
| avoir mal à | to have a pain in, to hurt |
J'ai froid is "I'm cold"; Je suis froid would describe your character.
être en train de
The present already covers "I'm doing": je travaille is "I work" and "I'm working". To stress that something is going on right now, use être en train de + infinitive: Il est en train de manger, "He's eating right now".
Cards from this guide
8 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Verbs cards.
What are the present forms of être?
je suis, tu es, il est, nous sommes, vous êtes, ils sont.
What are the present forms of avoir?
j'ai, tu as, il a, nous avons, vous avez, ils ont.
How do you say "I'm twenty"?
J'ai vingt ans.
How do you say "I'm thirsty"?
J'ai soif.
How do you say "You're right"?
Tu as raison, or Vous avez raison.
How do you say "I need to sleep"?
J'ai besoin de dormir.
How do ils sont and ils ont sound different?
ils sont has an s; ils ont has a z.
How do you say "He's eating right now"?
Il est en train de manger.