French · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 7
J'ai un frèreI have a brother
The verb avoir (to have): j'ai (I have), tu as (you have), il/elle a (he/she has), nous avons (we have), ils/elles ont (they have). We use it for possession and family: j'ai un frère, do you have sisters? Watch the elision: je + ai = j'ai. New family vocabulary: brother, sister, son, daughter, grandfather, grandmother, husband, parents, baby.
Dialogue
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J'ai un frère— I Have a Brother
- LucasTu as des frères et sœurs?Do you have brothers and sisters?
- MikeOui, je ai un frère.Yes, I have a brother. (slip: je ai, should elide to j'ai)
- LucasOn dit « j'ai » — je + ai. Moi, j'ai un frère et une sœur.We say "j'ai" — je + ai. Me, I have a brother and a sister.
- MikeAh! J'ai un frère. Et tu as une grande famille!Ah! I have a brother. And you have a big family!
Dialogue
i
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Mes grands-parents— My Grandparents
- CamilleJ'ai un grand-père et une grand-mère. Ils ont une fille : ma mère.I have a grandfather and a grandmother. They have a daughter: my mother.
- MikeTon grand-mère est un homme?Is your grandmother a man? (slip: ton grand-mère, should be ta grand-mère)
- CamilleOn dit « ta grand-mère » — c'est une femme. Le grand-père est l'homme.We say "ta grand-mère" — she is a woman. The grandfather is the man.
- MikeD'accord. Ton grand-père et ta grand-mère ont une fille. Une grande famille!Okay. Your grandfather and grandmother have a daughter. A big family!
Vocabulary
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- avoir
verbto have
- j'ai
verbI have
- frère
n.m.brother (m)
- sœur
n.f.sister (f)
- fils
n.m.son (m)
- fille
n.f.daughter; girl (f)
- grand-père
n.m.grandfather (m)
- grand-mère
n.f.grandmother (f)
- mari
n.m.husband (m)
- parents
n.m.pl.parents
- bébé
n.m.baby (m)
Grammar
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The verb avoir (to have)
Explanation
Avoir means "to have". It is a very common irregular verb: j'ai (I have), tu as (you have), il/elle a (he/she has), nous avons (we have), ils/elles ont (they have). We use it for possession and to talk about family: "J'ai un frère" (I have a brother), "Tu as des sœurs ?" (Do you have sisters?). Watch the elision: je + ai becomes j'ai (never "je ai"). As in ch4, the article agrees: un frère, une sœur.
Examples
- J'ai un frère et une sœur.I have a brother and a sister.
- Tu as des enfants?Do you have children? (des = some/any, plural)
- Nous avons une grande famille.We have a big family.
- Mes parents ont une fille.My parents have a daughter. (ils ont = they have)
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