Avere (to have)

Avere (to have)

ItalianItalian A1

Hello again. If you're here, it means you're still learning Italian. So, today we will tell you about the verb "avere."

The verb avere (to have) holds a position as one of the two most significant Italian verbs. We mostly use it to mean possession, in the same way that English speakers use the verb "to have." On the other hand, in Italian, as in numerous Romance languages, compound tenses exist, created by combining the conjugated form of the word "avere" with the past participle of the verb. This verb plays a crucial role in conveying actions, making it essential for us to focus on it and retain all its various forms.
First of all, let's see how to conjugate the verb "avere" with examples.

Conjugation


Subject + Avere (It.) To have (Eng.)
Io ho I have
Tu hai You have
Lui / Lei ha He/She/It has
Noi abbiamo We have
Voi avete You have
Loro hanno They have


Examples:
Io ho una macchina (I have a car);
Tu hai una sorella (You have a sister);
Lui ha fame (He is hungry);
Lei ha tre gatti (She has three cats);
Noi abbiamo una casa nuova (We have a new house);
Voi avete un cane simpatico (You all have a nice dog);
Loro hanno molti libri (They have many books).

Usage of "Avere"

1. Possession: If you own something, feel free to use the verb "avere" to indicate possession or ownership.
Examples:
Ho una penna (I have a pen);
Hai una casa (You have a house).

2. Age: The phrase "avere [ number ] anni" means how old you are.
Examples:
Ho vent'anni (I am twenty years old);
Hai cinquant'anni (You are fifty years old).

3. Feelings and Emotions: Use the verb when you need to express specific feelings or emotions.
Examples:
Ho paura (I am scared/fearful);
Hai ragione (You are right).

4. Expressions: The Italian language is rich in idiomatic expressions with the word "avere." Often, the meaning of a verb does not correspond to its translation. It is better to remember these expressions because they are vital for fluent communication in Italian.
Examples:
Ho fame (I am hungry);
Hai freddo (You are cold).

5. Compound Tenses: "Avere" is also an auxiliary verb. We use it in Passato Prossimo (Present Perfect Tense).
Examples:
Ho visto un film ieri (I watched a movie yesterday).

In this sentence, "ho visto" is the Passato Prossimo form of "avere" (io ho) combined with the past participle of the verb "vedere" (visto).

Common expressions with "Avere"

We suggest looking at some common phrases with this verb in Italian that you can use in everyday conversations. It will help you finally remember the forms of the verb "avere."

1. Ho fame / ho sete (I am hungry / thirsty).
Example:
Ho fame, possiamo mangiare qualcosa? (I am hungry, can we eat something?).

2. Ho freddo / ho caldo (I am cold / hot).
Example:
Ho freddo. Possiamo chiudere la finestra? (I am cold. Can we close the window?)

3. Ho vent'anni (I am twenty years old).
Example:
Ho vent'anni e studio all'università. (I am twenty years old, and I study at the university).

4. Abbiamo una festa / una riunione (We have a party / a meeting).
Example:
Abbiamo una festa sabato sera (We have a party on Saturday evening).

5. Ho bisogno di aiuto (I need help). Example:
Ho bisogno di aiuto con questo compito (I need help with this task).

6. Ho paura / ho sonno (I am afraid / sleepy).
Example:
Ho paura dei ragni (I am afraid of spiders);
Ho sonno, vado a letto presto (I am sleepy, I am going to bed early).

7. Ho fretta / ho tempo (I am in a hurry / have time).
Example:
Ho fretta, devo prendere il treno (I am in a hurry, I need to catch the train);
Non ho tempo adesso, possiamo parlare più tardi? (I don't have time now, can we talk later?).

8. Ho un problema / ho una domanda (I have a problem / a question).
Example:
Ho un problema con il computer (I have a problem with the computer);
Ho una domanda da farti (I have a question to ask you).

Summary

We remind you once again that the verb “avere” is vital for constructing correct sentences in the present and past tense in Italian. The verb is used in Italian to convey possession and condition, with numerous idiomatic expressions featuring this verb. If you are describing what you had or what you felt in the past, “avere” will help you do this.
Don't forget to pay attention to the new words and phrases you came across in the lesson:
Macchina (car)
Sorella (sister)
Gatti (cats)
Casa (house)
Penna (pen)
Anni (years)
Nuova (new)
Paura (scared)
Ragione (reason, right)
Fame (hungry)
Sete (thirsty)
Freddo (cold)
Caldo (hot)
Università (university)
Festa (party)
Sabato (Saturday)
Sera (evening)
Aiuto (help)
Compito (task)
Ragni (spiders)
Letto (bed)
Presto (early)
Treno (train)
Tempo (time)
Più tardi (later)
Domanda (question)
Try to remember the new words from this lesson. Feel free to review previous lessons if you need to. We look forward to seeing you in the next lesson, during which we will discuss the Italian verb fare (to do). Good luck!