If you learn only two French verbs first, make them être (to be) and avoir (to have). They are the most common verbs in the language, they are both irregular, and — crucially — they are the building blocks for almost every past-tense sentence you will ever say. Here is how to use them with confidence.
Être — "to be"
Être describes states, identity, and descriptions. Memorize its present tense early:
- je suis (I am)
- tu es (you are)
- il/elle est (he/she is)
- nous sommes (we are)
- vous êtes (you are)
- ils/elles sont (they are)
Use it for who and what you are: Je suis étudiant. Elle est française. Nous sommes prêts.
Avoir — "to have"
Avoir shows possession — and much more. Its present tense:
- j'ai (I have)
- tu as
- il/elle a
- nous avons
- vous avez
- ils/elles ont
The trap: French "has" what English "is"
This is where English speakers slip. Many states that English expresses with "to be," French expresses with avoir:
- J'ai faim — I am hungry (literally "I have hunger")
- J'ai froid — I am cold
- J'ai 25 ans — I am 25 years old
- J'ai peur — I am afraid
Say Je suis faim and a French speaker will know instantly you are translating from English. With age especially — J'ai vingt ans, never Je suis — this is a giveaway error.
Why they matter most: the passé composé
To talk about the past, French combines être or avoir with a past participle:
- J'ai mangé — I ate / I have eaten
- Elle est allée — She went
Most verbs use avoir; a small group of movement verbs (aller, venir, partir, arriver) and all reflexive verbs use être. Master the present tense of both verbs now, and the past tense becomes far less scary later.
Quick practice
Fill the gap: Nous ___ contents. (être → sommes). Ils ___ deux enfants. (avoir → ont).
Get être and avoir automatic and you have unlocked the engine room of French grammar. Build that foundation with our French grammar study guides, and if gender still feels shaky, start with our guide to guessing French noun gender.