8. Verb avere in Italian

The verb avere is used in everyday life in the Italian language. This verb is used to indicate possession in Italian, but it also can be used in idiomatic expressions e.g. I’m hungry, I’m thirsty, I’m scared

Conjugation of the verb avere in present form

Here is the conjugation of the verb avere in the present form:

We should be careful with the following:

• The form “ho” has a silent “h” letter, which mean you simply read it as “ó”
• “Hano” also has the silent “h” letter, being pronounced “ano”

Couple examples in phrases:

• Io ho ventisette anni (I have 27 years)
• Tu hai un fratello? (Do you have a brother?)
• Lei ha un lavoro interessante (He has an interesting job)
• Noi abbiamo una casa grande (We have a big house)
• Voi avete tempo? (Do you have time?)
• Loro hanno molti amici (They have many friends)

When to use essere or avere

The main difference is between an emotional state or a physical sensation:

• Io sono felice (I’m happy) -> Emotional state (essere)
• Io ho fame (I’m hungry) -> Physical state (avere)

Here are a few other examples with the verb avere:

• avere sete - To be thirsty
• avere sonno - To be sleepy
• avere freddo - To be cold
• avere caldo - To be warm
• avere paura - To be fearful

Here are a few other examples with the verb essere:

• Io sono gentile (I’m kind)
• Io sono intelligente (I’m intelligent)
• Io sono pigro (I’m lazy)
• Io sono timido (I’m shy)
• Io sono coraggioso (I’m brave)