Language/Italian/Grammar/How-to-Use-Have

Italian Grammar - How to Use "Have"

Hi Italian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn how to use the verb "have" in Italian. This is an important verb to know as it is used to form compound tenses in Italian. We will also see how the verb "avere" is used in some common Italian expressions.

Consider broadening your understanding by checking out these related lessons: Adjectives, Present Tense of Irregular Verbs, Definite Articles & Gender.

Avere - The Italian Verb for "Have"

In Italian, the verb "have" is translated as "avere". It is an irregular verb and one of the most important verbs in Italian, as it is used to form compound tenses.

Here is the conjugation of "avere" in the present tense:

Pronoun	Conjugation	English
Io (I)	ho	I have
Tu (You)	hai	You have (informal singular)
Egli/Ella (He/She)	ha	He/She has
Noi (We)	abbiamo	We have
Voi (You all)	avete	You all have
Essi/Esse (They)	hanno	They have

Here are a few examples of how the verb "avere" is used in sentences:

• Io ho un cane. (I have a dog.)
• Tu hai un libro. (You have a book.)
• Lei ha una casa bellissima. (She has a beautiful house.)
• Noi abbiamo una macchina nuova. (We have a new car.)
• Voi avete una famiglia grande. (You all have a big family.)
• Loro hanno una casa al mare. (They have a house by the sea.)

As you can see from the examples, "avere" is used to indicate possession, just like the English verb "have".

Compound Tenses with "Avere"

In Italian, compound tenses are formed by using the verb "avere" (or "essere", which we will see later) and a past participle. Here is the formula:

Subject + avere (conjugated) + past participle

Here are a few examples of compound tenses with "avere":

• Ho mangiato una pizza. (I have eaten a pizza.)
• Hai visto il film? (Have you seen the movie?)
• Ha parlato con il professore. (He/She has talked to the professor.)
• Abbiamo fatto una festa. (We have had a party.)
• Avete visto la mostra d'arte? (Have you all seen the art exhibit?)
• Hanno scritto un libro. (They have written a book.)

In all of these examples, "avere" is conjugated in the present tense, just like in the previous section. The past participle changes according to the gender and number of the subject. We will cover this in more detail in another lesson.

Italian Expressions with "Avere"

In addition to its use as a verb, "avere" is used in many common Italian expressions. Here are a few examples:

• Avere fame - to be hungry (literally, "to have hunger")
• Avere sete - to be thirsty (literally, "to have thirst")
• Avere sonno - to be sleepy (literally, "to have sleep")
• Avere fretta - to be in a hurry (literally, "to have haste")
• Avere paura - to be scared (literally, "to have fear")
• Avere ragione - to be right (literally, "to have reason")
• Avere torto - to be wrong (literally, "to have fault")

Here's a dialogue between two people using some of these expressions:

• Person 1: Ho fame, andiamo a mangiare una pizza? (I'm hungry, let's go eat pizza?)
• Person 2: Sì, anch'io ho fame! (Yes, I'm hungry too!)
• Person 1: Devo bere qualcosa, ho sete. (I need to drink something, I'm thirsty.)
• Person 2: Andiamo al bar, prendiamo qualcosa da bere. (Let's go to the bar, we'll get something to drink.)

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have learned how to use the verb "avere" in Italian, both as a verb and in compound tenses. We have also seen how it is used in common Italian expressions. To improve your Italian Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

---

➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Well done on mastering this lesson! Don't miss these related pages to expand your knowledge: When to use GLI or LI in Italian?, Plurals, Imperfect Tense & Imperative Form.