The French verbs 'avoir' & 'être'
Understanding Avoir and Être
The two verbs to be = "être", and to have = "avoir". The comprehension of the use of these two verbs is very important for mastering the French language. They are used with the past participle to make compound tenses.
The simplest way to remember which one to use is as follows:
- Most verbs are conjugated with the French "avoir" (to have)
- Verbs describing, motion and direction; and reflexive verbs for example "to wash my hair", are conjugated with the verb "être" (to be)
Lists of verbs
Audio examples of Avoir & Être
Use the audio player to listen and learn the French verbs
Looking for more French verbs ?
Check out the verb tables with all the French tenses and conjugations.