In French, the verb avoir (and not être) is used in many expressions to talk about age, needs, physical sensations, and desires. These expressions are very common in daily life.
1. Talking about age
In French, avoir is used to say how old someone is.
- J’ai 20 ans. (I am 20 years old.)
- Tu as quel âge ? (How old are you?)
- Mon frère a 10 ans. (My brother is 10 years old.)
2. Talking about needs or desires
These expressions use avoir besoin de or avoir envie de + noun or verb.
- J’ai besoin d’aide. (I need help.)
- Elle a besoin de dormir. (She needs to sleep.)
- Nous avons envie d'une glace. (We feel like having an ice cream.)
- Ils ont envie de sortir. (They want to go out.)
3. Talking about physical sensations
avoir is used with words like faim (hunger), soif (thirst), chaud (hot), froid (cold), peur (fear), mal (pain), sommeil (sleepiness).
- J’ai faim. (I’m hungry.)
- Tu as soif ? (Are you thirsty?)
- Elle a froid. (She’s cold.)
- Nous avons chaud. (We’re hot.)
- Il a peur du noir. (He’s afraid of the dark.)
- Vous avez mal à la tête ? (Do you have a headache?)
- Les enfants ont sommeil. (The children are sleepy.)
4. Other useful expressions with avoir
Here are some other common expressions to remember:
- Tu as raison. (≠ Tu as tort) (You’re right. ≠ You’re wrong.)
- J’ai de la chance ! (I’m lucky!)
- Il a l’air fatigué. (He looks tired.)