The Difference Between "Être" and "Avoir"
Questions This Article Answers
What are auxiliary verbs in French?
When do you use être in French?
When do you use avoir in French?
What is the difference between être and avoir?
What is the difference between avoir and être?
Two of the first verbs introduced to beginners learning French are être(to be) and avoir(to have). However, they can also be used as auxiliary verbs in compound tenses!
Être and Avoir as Verbs
As a verb, être (to be) describes existence, identity, location, or characteristics. It is used to talk about how things are, their state, location, or what they represent.
As a verb, avoir (to have) describes possession. It is used to express what someone or something has.
Expressions Using Avoir Instead of To Be
Be careful! A few expressions use avoir (to have) in French where to be would be used in English. Remember to use avoir when you want to express your age, talk about luck, how hungry or thirsty you are, and how you feel temperature-wise.
Être and Avoir as Auxiliary Verbs
Both être and avoir play crucial roles as auxiliaries in forming compound tenses like the passé composé(compound past). The choice between the auxiliary verbs être and avoir depends on the verb used.
The auxiliary être is used with a specific set of verbs. Thankfully, there are only 17 of them! With some practice, you will be able to remember which ones they are. A good way of memorizing them is to learn the acronym DR & MRS VANDERTRAMPP where each letter stands for one of these 17 verbs!
Verbs Used with the Être Auxiliary
The auxiliary être is also used with all pronominal verbs! You don’t have to memorize pronominal verbs because you can immediately tell whether a verb is pronominal or not, just by looking at it. A verb is pronominal if it's accompanied by a reflexive pronoun. In the infinitive form of the pronominal verb, the reflexive pronoun is se. For example, se coucher(to go to bed) is a pronominal verb. Here's what it can look like in a sentence: Je me suis couché tard.(I went to bed late.)
Agreement in Gender and Number
When être is the auxiliary, the past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject. For example:
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The auxiliary avoir is used with all the other verbs! And with avoir as the auxiliary, the past participle does not change, unless a direct object is placed before the verb. If there is a direct object before the verb, the past participle will agree with the object.
As you continue your journey with French, these verbs will become your constant companions. Understanding their roles and nuances is crucial in mastering the language. Practice using être and avoir in different contexts, and soon you'll be constructing sentences with confidence and ease!
Learn more about French verbs with these articles!
