After you've learned the basic uses of avoir, the next step is learning common expressions and recognizing when English be still tempts you toward être. For the core uses, see How to use avoir. For all tenses, see the conjugation of avoir.
Common expressions
These are fixed phrases. Learn each one as a whole unit rather than word by word.
avoir raison / avoir tort
Use avoir raison and avoir tort to say that someone is right or wrong.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Tu as raison. | You are right. |
| Tu as tort. | You are wrong. |
avoir envie de
Use avoir envie de to want something or to feel like doing something.
avoir envie de + noun / infinitive
You will hear it with a noun or with an infinitive:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| J'ai envie d'un café. | I feel like a coffee. / I want a coffee. |
| Tu as envie de sortir ? | Do you feel like going out? |
avoir besoin de
Use avoir besoin de to need something or to need to do something.
avoir besoin de + noun / infinitive
The same shape works for a thing you need or an action you need to do:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| J'ai besoin d'aide. | I need help. |
| Tu as besoin de dormir. | You need to sleep. |
avoir de la chance
Use avoir de la chance to say that someone is lucky.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Tu as de la chance. | You are lucky. |
| Elle a de la chance. | She is lucky. |
| Nous avons de la chance aujourd'hui. | We are lucky today. |
Common errors
The mistakes below share the same type of error: using être (or another English-shaped line) where French wants avoir.
Using être for age
Use avoir to express your age. Do not use être.
| Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|
| Je suis 20 ans. | J'ai 20 ans. |
| Je suis 20. | J'ai 20 ans. |
| Elle est 8 ans. | Elle a 8 ans. |
Using être for hunger, thirst, and similar states
These states are nouns after avoir, not adjectives after être.
avoir + noun
These are the usual mistakes:
| Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|
| Je suis faim. | J'ai faim. |
| Elle est soif. | Elle a soif. |
| Je suis froid. | J'ai froid. |
Je suis froid can mean you come across as distant or unfriendly. For body temperature, use j'ai froid.
Before you go
Treat the phrases above as whole units, and keep the differences between être / avoir in mind when English uses be.