Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to have" in Italian: avere
avere
To have in Italian is avere (ah-VEH-reh). Present forms include ho, hai, ha, abbiamo, avete, hanno. Avere also builds many past tenses: ho mangiato means I ate.
Borrowing a charger
Avete un caricatore? Io non ho batteria.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce avere
Say it
ah-VEH-reh
/aˈve.re/
Avere stresses VEH: ah-VEH-reh. Ho is a pure oh with a silent h. Hai sounds like eye.
"to have" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| avere | to have Possession and auxiliary for many past verbs. | Possession and auxiliary for many past verbs. |
| ho / hai / ha | I have / you have / he-she has High-frequency present forms. | High-frequency present forms. |
| abbiamo / avete / hanno | we have / you plural have / they have Rest of the present. | Rest of the present. |
| avere fame / sete / sonno | to be hungry / thirsty / sleepy Italian uses avere where English uses to be. | Italian uses avere where English uses to be. |
How to use avere in real life
- 1Borrowing a charger
Avete un caricatore? Io non ho batteria.
Do you have a charger? I have no battery.
Avete shows the av- stem of avere.
- 2Talking about hunger
Avere fame: andiamo a pranzo?
Being hungry: shall we go to lunch?
Avere fame = to be hungry; the infinitive names the pattern.
- 3Past weekend
Ieri è stato bello avere ospiti a cena.
Yesterday it was nice to have guests for dinner.
Avere as infinitive after bello.
Mistakes English speakers make with avere
Incorrect: Sono fame.
Correct: Ho fame. (si dice avere fame)
Hunger uses avere: ho fame, not essere.
Incorrect: Io avere una macchina.
Correct: Ho una macchina.
Conjugate avere: io ho.
Good to know
Many physical states take avere in Italian: fame, sete, sonno, caldo, freddo. English speakers who calque I am hungry into sono fame sound instantly non-native, so drill the avere set early.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Packing before a day trip
ChatPal
Avete le carte del museo? Io non le ho.
Do you have the museum tickets? I don't have them.
You
Sì, le abbiamo noi. Hai anche l'acqua?
Yes, we have them. Do you also have water?
ChatPal
Ho una bottiglia. Avete fame già?
I have a bottle. Are you hungry already?
You
Un po'. Meglio avere uno snack in borsa.
A bit. Better to have a snack in the bag.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to have" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to have" in Italian
Why does ho start with h?
The h is silent and keeps ho distinct in writing from o meaning or. You pronounce a pure oh.
How do I say I am hungry?
Ho fame. The same pattern gives ho sete (I'm thirsty) and ho sonno (I'm sleepy).
Is avere used in the past tense?
Yes. Many verbs form the passato prossimo with avere: ho visto, hai parlato, abbiamo mangiato.
What is the noi form?
Abbiamo. It clearly shows the av- stem of avere.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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