Beginning1–Lesson7
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Avoir(tohave)/Smallnumbers
Inthislesson,wearegoingtolearnhowtoconjugatetheverb“avoir”atthepresenttense.
Wewillalsolearnsmallnumbers,from1to10.
THEVERB“AVOIR”(TOHAVE)
Astheverb“être”(tobe),theverb“avoir”isoneofthemostcommonFrenchverbs.Itis
usedforbasicsentencesaswellasforbuildingcomposedtenses(seeinfurtherlessons).
Hereishowweconjugatetheverb“avoir”inthepresenttense:
J’ai
Ihave
Tuas
Ila
Ellea
Ona
♪ Nousavons
♪ Vousavez
Ilsont
♪
Ellesont
Youhave
Hehas
Shehas
Wehave/One
have
Wehave
Youhave
Theyhave
♪Donotforgetthe“liaison”betweenthepronounandtheverb.
Youcanbuildsentencesbyusingthesamestructureas“J’ai+something”(totellthatyou
haveorpossesssomething).
Samplesentences:
J’aiunfrère.
Ihaveabrother.
J’aiunesœur.
Ihaveasister.
Tuasunfrère.
Youhaveabrother.
Ilaunfils.
Hehasason.
Tuasunesœur.
Youhaveasister.
Elleaunefille.
Shehasadaughter.
ThislessonisprovidedbyLet’sSpeakFrenchtogether.
Itismadetobeusedalongwiththeaudioavailableon
LetsSpeakFrenchTogether.com.Feelfreetovisitthewebsite.
Beginning1–Lesson7
LetsSpeakFrenchTogether.com
Avoir(tohave)/Smallnumbers
Nousavonsunfils.
Wehaveason.
Nousavonsunefille.
Wehaveadaughter.
Vousavezdesparents.
Youhaveparents.
Vousavezdesenfants.
Youhavechildren.
Ilsontunfilsetunefille.
Theyhaveasonandadaughter.
Ilsontdeuxenfants.
Theyhavetwochildren.
SMALLNUMBERS(1to10)
As in the last sample sentence, you can use numbers to express how many “things” you
possess.Herearesmallnumbers,fromonetoten:
0
zéro
1
2
un/une deux
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
trois
quatre
cinq
six
sept
huit
neuf
dix
Wewilllearnaboutbiggernumbersinafurtherlesson.
Examples:
J’aiunevoiture
Ihaveonecar
J’aideuxvoitures
Ihavetwocars
Tuastroisfils
Youhavethreesons
Ilacinqenfants
Hehasfivechildren
Tuasquatrefilles
Youhavefourdaughter
Ilasixfrèresetsœurs
Hehassixbrothersandsisters
Youcanalsotalkabouttheagebyusing“Avoir+numberofyears”(“an”=“year”):
Ilaseptans.
Heissevenyearsold.
Ilahuitans.
Heiseightyearsold.
Elleaneufans.
Elleadixans.
Sheisnineyearsold.
Sheistenyearsold.
♪Donotforgetthe“liaison”afternumbers:
Notethat“neufans”isanexception,asthe“f”soundchangestoa“v”sound:
ThislessonisprovidedbyLet’sSpeakFrenchtogether.
Itismadetobeusedalongwiththeaudioavailableon
LetsSpeakFrenchTogether.com.Feelfreetovisitthewebsite.
Beginning1–Lesson7
LetsSpeakFrenchTogether.com
Avoir(tohave)/Smallnumbers
♥Tip:Theverb“être”(tobe)isusuallyfollowedbyanadjective(seeinpreviouslessons)
whiletheverb“avoir”(tohave)isusuallyfollowedbyanoun.
Otherusagesoftheverb“avoir”:toexpresssensations(wewillseemoreaboutitduring
afurtherlesson)
Avoirmal
Tobeinpain
→
J’aimal.
Ithurts/I’minpain.
Avoirfaim Tobehungry
→
J’aimal.
I’mhungry.
→
J’aimal.
I’mthirsty.
Avoirsoif
Tobethirsty
ThislessonisprovidedbyLet’sSpeakFrenchtogether.
Itismadetobeusedalongwiththeaudioavailableon
LetsSpeakFrenchTogether.com.Feelfreetovisitthewebsite.