Avoir means "to have" and can be used in the present tense to show possession.  Avoir can also be used as a helping verb to form the past tense.  This important French verb does not follow a pattern, as you can see in the chart below.

 

                        j'ai

                       I have 

                      tu as 

                    you have 

                     il/elle a 

                  he/she has 

                   nous avons

                    we have 

                   vous avez 

                 you (pl) have 

                 ils/elles ont 

                   they have 

 

Avoir is also used in many French figures of speech.  Where we say we "are" something, the French often say they "have" something.  See the examples below:

 

                   avoir 16 ans

   to have (be) 16 years (old) 

             avoir faim 

 to have hunger (to be hungry)

             avoir soif 

  to have thirst (to be thirsty)

            avoir chaud 

                 to be hot 

             avoir froid 

                to be cold 

           avoir sommeil 

              to be sleepy 

 Practice AVOIR expressions here.