italiano · A1 · verb · 4 minutes
Avere: present tense
Express possession, age, hunger, thirst, and common physical states.
Understand the choice
Avere covers ownership and many expressions translated with English be: avere fame, sete, caldo, freddo, paura, and … anni. The silent h distinguishes verb forms in writing.
Core rule: Avere is irregular and its singular forms ho, hai, ha are written with silent h.
Notice it in context
Abbiamo tempo, ma tu hai fame.
We have time, but you are hungry.
Abbiamo agrees with noi; hai agrees with tu and carries the fixed expression fame.
Ho una domanda e loro hanno la risposta.
I have a question and they have the answer.
Ho and hanno show two irregular written forms.
Quanti anni avete? Abbiamo vent’anni.
How old are you? We are twenty.
Age uses avere in both question and answer.
What to remember
- Ho, hai, ha, hanno have silent h; o means or and anno means year.
- Avere caldo describes feeling hot; essere caldo describes a hot thing.
Common trap: Do not say sono fame or sono vent’anni. Use avere.