Verbs
avoir ‘to have’
The verb avoir is irregular in the present tense. Listen carefully to the pronunciation of the -s in the plural pronouns nous, vous, and ils/elles. This -s is pronounced as a /z/ to link with the vowel sound in the plural forms of avoir. This liaison, or linking, is especially important in distinguishing ils ont (they have) from the third person plural of être ils sont (they are).
| avoir ‘to have’ | |
| j’ai | nous avons |
| tu as | vous avez |
| il/elle/on a | ils/elles ont |
| past participle: eu | |
Avoir is also used as an auxiliary in compound tenses (passé composé with avoir, plus-que-parfait, futur antérieur, etc.) Besides ownership, the verb avoir expresses age in French, unlike the English equivalent, which uses the verb ‘to be.’
| Tex, tu as des frères et des soeurs? | Tex, do you have brothers and sisters? |
| Tex: Oui, j’ai une soeur et un frère. | Tex: Yes, I have a sister and a brother. |
| Quel âge ont-ils? | How old are they? |
| Tex: Ma soeur Rita a 30 ans et mon frère Trey a 16 ans. | Tex: My sister Rita is 30 and my brother Trey is 16. |
Listening Comprehension:
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