UNIT

1.5 (The verb avere)

The verb Avere (to have)

Avere is the infinitive form of the verb to have. Below is the conjugation of avere.

avere (to have)
Singular Plural
(io) ho (noi) abbiamo
(tu) hai (voi) avete
(lui/lei/Lei) ha (loro) hanno

Note that the initial h in Italian is completely silent.

Study these examples of statements and questions with avere:

Noi abbiamo una macchina e voi avete uno We have a car and you (plural) have a scooter.
scooter.
Giovanna, hai una casa in Italia? No, non ho una Giovanna, do you have a house in Italy?
casa, ma ho un appartamento. No, I dont have a house, but I have an apartment.

Filippo e Luisa hanno tre corsi oggi. Filippo and Luisa have three classes today.


Avere is used in several idiomatic expressions:

avere caldo to be hot, warm
(as in: I am warm)
avere freddo to be cold
(as in: I am cold)

avere fame to be hungry
avere sete to be thirsty

avere fretta to be in a hurry

avere sonno to be sleepy
avere paura to be afraid

avere bisogno di to need

avere voglia di to feel like

avere ragione to be right

(as in: I am right)

avere torto to be wrong

(as in: You are wrong)

1
UNIT 1.5 (The verb avere)

In the above expressions notice that the word following avere (avere caldo, avere
freddo, etc.) is not an adjective but a noun.

Therefore, in Italian we say, literally, I have hunger or I have hurry, etc.

Study the following examples:

Se hai caldo, apri la finestra. If youre hot, open the window.

Ho freddo e non mi sento bene. Im cold and I dont feel well.

Ragazzi, avete fame? Ecco dei panini. Guys, are you hungry? Here are some
sandwiches.

Quando tornano dalla palestra, le When they get back from the gym, the
ragazze hanno sempre sete. girls are always thirsty.

Mio padre ha sempre fretta la mattina. My father is always in a hurry in the
morning.

I bambini sono stanchi e hanno sonno. The children are tired and they are sleepy.

Ho paura dellesame di italiano! Im afraid of the Italian exam!

Cosa prendi? Hai voglia di unaranciata? What are you getting? Do you feel like an
orange soda?

Va bene, questa volta lo ammetto: tu hai Okay, this time Ill admit it: you are right
ragione e io ho torto! and I am wrong!


Avere is also used to express ones age. Italians say I have 30 years, rather than I
am thirty years old, and How many years do you have? rather than How old are
you?
Study the following examples:

- Quanti anni hai? How old are you?
- Ho trent anni. Im thirty.
- Quanti anni ha tua figlia? How old is your daughter?
- piccola, ha solo sei anni. She is little, she is only six.
- Marina, sei maggiorenne? Marina, are you of age?
- Certo! Ho diciotto anni. Of course! Im eighteen.