Having: The Verb Avere
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Having Things in Italian: The Verb Avere
In Italian, expressing possession, age, and family relationships relies on the verb avere (to have). Just like essere (to be), avere is an irregular verb, meaning its forms do not follow a standard pattern. You must memorize each form!
Conjugation of Avere (Present Tense)
- io ho – I have
- tu hai – you have (singular, informal)
- lui / lei ha – he / she has
- noi abbiamo – we have
- voi avete – you have (plural)
- loro hanno – they have
Usage Examples
Unlike English, Italian uses avere to express age (e.g., “I have twenty years”) and certain physical states like hunger or thirst.
- Io ho un cane. (I have a dog.)
- Tu hai una sorella. (You have a sister.)
- Noi abbiamo una grande famiglia. (We have a big family.)
Common Mistakes
Remember that the letter h in ho, hai, ha, hanno is silent! It is only there to distinguish these forms from other Italian words. Do not skip the h in writing!
Words
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Patterns
Io ho ___.
Used to say what you have. E.g., I have a brother.
Tu hai ___?
Used to ask someone if they have something. E.g., Do you have a sister?
Noi abbiamo ___.
Used to state what a group including yourself has. E.g., We have a big family.