GrammarPro Italian
Avere - ❌
The verb avere is one of the most important and frequently used verbs in the Italian language. It is an irregular verb, which means that its conjugation does not follow the regular patterns. Avere is commonly used to express possession, as well as in various idiomatic expressions and in forming compound tenses like the passato prossimo.
Present Tense Conjugation of Avere
The present tense of avere is conjugated as follows:
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Io | ho | I have |
| Tu | hai | You have (singular, informal) |
| Lui/Lei | ha | He/She has |
| Noi | abbiamo | We have |
| Voi | avete | You have (plural) |
| Loro | hanno | They have |
Examples in Sentences
Io ho un cane. I have a dog.
Tu hai una bicicletta. You have a bicycle.
Lui ha una macchina nuova. He has a new car.
Lei ha due fratelli. She has two brothers.
Noi abbiamo una casa al mare. We have a house by the sea.
Voi avete un bel giardino. You all have a beautiful garden.
Loro hanno tre gatti. They have three cats.
Key Uses of Avere
Possession: Avere is primarily used to express possession.
- Example: Ho un libro. (I have a book.)
Age: Avere is used to talk about age.
- Example: Quanti anni hai? (How old are you?)
- Example: Ho vent'anni. (I am twenty years old.)
Physical States: Avere is used in several idiomatic expressions to describe physical states or feelings.
- Example: Ho fame. (I am hungry.)
- Example: Hai sete? (Are you thirsty?)
Obligations: It can be used with da to express obligation.
- Example: Ho molto da fare. (I have a lot to do.)
Notes on Pronunciation
- The h in ho, hai, ha, and hanno is silent, so these forms are pronounced as if they started with a vowel.
- Ho is pronounced like "oh."
- Hai is pronounced like "eye."
- Ha and hanno are pronounced like "ah" and "anno" (with the first "n" being double).