avoir

Senses

1. 1.

   to have

   to possess or own something

2. 2.

   to have; to experience

   to undergo or feel a state, emotion, or condition

3. 3.

   to have; to hold

   to grasp or contain physically

4. 4.

   to be (auxiliary)

   auxiliary verb used to form perfect tenses

Examples

• "Je suis fatigué, j'ai eu une longue journée."

  I'm tired; I had a long day.

• "Elle a deux enfants et une maison à la campagne."

  She has two children and a house in the countryside.

• "Avez-vous mangé ce matin?"

  Did you eat this morning? (Have you eaten?)

Usage

Avoir is one of the most frequent verbs in French and is essential as both a main verb (meaning "to have") and as an auxiliary for forming the passé composé and other compound tenses. It is highly irregular; common forms include: j'ai, tu as, il/elle a, nous avons, vous avez, ils/elles ont.