Expressions using avoir

Although you can use avoir to express to have, you can also use it to say I am, you are and so on:

Il a neuf ans

He's nine years old

Quel âge as-tu?

How old are you?

Here are some other examples where English uses to be while French uses avoir:

Elle a froid / Elle a chaud

She’s cold / hot

J’ai faim / J’ai soif

I’m hungry / thirsty

Vous avez raison / Vous avez tort

You’re right / wrong

J’ai peur des araignées

I’m afraid of spiders

Avoir is also used in the phrase il y a, meaning there is or there are:

Il y a un chat dans notre jardin

There’s cat in our garden

Il y a trois crayons dans ma trousse

There are three pencils in my pencil-case

Avoir is also used in the phrase avoir besoin de, meaning to need:

J’ai besoin d’un taille-crayon

I need a pencil sharpener