I'm sick! 'Avoir' meaning 'be'
Learning outcomes
I can use 'avoir' with nouns to say how I am feeling and what hurts.
I can recognise and pronounce correctly some exceptions to the silent final consonant rule.
I'm sick! 'Avoir' meaning 'be'
Learning outcomes
I can use 'avoir' with nouns to say how I am feeling and what hurts.
I can recognise and pronounce correctly some exceptions to the silent final consonant rule.
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Lesson details
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- Many French word-final consonants are silent; words ending in -c, -r, -f and -l may be exceptions, e.g. 'mal', 'peur'.
- 'Être' means to be. 'Avoir' means to have.
- 'Avoir' can sometimes be translated as 'to be, being', with certain expressions, e.g. 'j'ai chaud', I am hot.
- 'Avoir mal' means 'to be in pain' or 'to be sick'.
- With a part of the body 'avoir mal' means that something hurts, e.g. 'j'ai mal à la tête', my head hurts.
Keywords
SFC - silent final consonant, silent letter (d, s, t, x) at the end of a word
Avoir - French verb meaning 'to have, having'
Être - French verb meaning 'to be, being'
Common misconception
Expressions such as 'I am cold' must use the verb 'être' (to be) when translated into French, as in English. The verb 'avoir' can only be translated as 'to have'.
Certain expressions that use 'to be' in English, such as 'I am cold', actually use the verb 'avoir' in French: J'ai froid. 'Avoir' means 'to have' but it can also be translated as 'to be' with set expressions.
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
kind
sad
happy
serious
content
practical
She is thirsty.
I am scared, frightened.
You are cold.
He is hot.
I don't feel well, I am in pain.
You are right, correct.
nose
mouth
eyes
foot
head
ear
Exit quiz
6 Questions
I have a headache.
I have a sore foot.
You have earache.
He is cold.
She is hot.
He has a sore mouth.