French auxiliary verbs (avoir, être)
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The auxiliary verbs ( les auxiliaires ) être and avoir are important verbs in the French language. They are used to form the compound times.
The past participle can agree but it depends on the auxiliary: with the auxiliary 'avoir', the past participle agrees with the direct object complement only if it is placed before the verb in the sentence and with the auxiliary ' être', the past participle agrees with the subject.
The auxiliary verb 'avoir' is always conjuguated with transitive verbs (those that can have a direct object complement or indirect). Transitive verbs possess an object complement on which the action designated by the verb takes place. It can be a direct object (COD) or an indirect object (COI). among those verbs you can find:
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avoir + transitive verbs | direct or indirect objet | translation | |
---|---|---|---|
Tu | as construit | cette maison | you built this house |
Il | as connu | Samantha à l'école | he met you Samantha at school |
nous | avions découvert | une jolie grotte | we discovered a beautiful cave |
ils | ont parlé | à leur père | they talked to their father |
elle | a souri | au bel homme | she smiled to the beautiful man |
The verb avoir is completely irregular and is formed in different times as follows:
present | imperfect | future simple | past simple | subjunctive |
---|---|---|---|---|
j'ai | j'avais | j'aurai | j'eus | que j'aie |
tu as | tu avais | tu auras | tu eus | que tu ais |
il/elle/on a | il/elle/on avait | il/elle/on aura | il/elle/on eut | qu'il/elle/on ait |
nous avons | nous avions | nous aurons | nous eumes | que nous ayons |
vous avez | vous aviez | vous aurez | vous eûtes | que vous ayez |
ils/elles ont | ils/elles avaient | ils/elles auront | ils/elles eurent | qu'ils/elles aient |
The conditional of avoir is the future simple stem + imperfect endings.
All pronominal verbs always conjugate with the auxiliary 'être'. Some intransitive verbs (those who never have an indirect or direct object) conjugate with the auxiliary 'être'.
Among intrasitive verbs you find:
Examples | Translation |
---|---|
Je suis restée jusqu'au soir | I stayed until the night |
Je me suis lavé ce matin | I took a shower this morning |
Tu es passé pour le faible | You looked like the weak. |
The verb être is completely irregular and is formed in different times as follows:
Present | Imperfect | Future simple | Past simple | Subjunctive |
---|---|---|---|---|
je suis | j'étais | je serai | je fus | que je sois |
tu es | tu étais | tu seras | tu fus | que tu sois |
il/elle/on est | il/elle/on était | il/elle/on sera | il/elle/on fut | qu'il/elle/on soit |
nous sommes | nous étions | nous serons | nous fumes | que nous soyons |
vous étiez | vous étiez | vous serez | vous futes | que vous soyez |
ils/elles sont | ils/elles étaient | ils/elles seront | ils/elles furent | qu'ils/elles soient |
The conditional of être uses the future simple stem + imperfect endings.
In general, some verbs of movement are conjugated with the auxiliary 'avoir' in a transitive clause, or with the auxiliary ' être' in an intransitive clause.
Some verbs of change normally are combined with the auxiliary 'avoir' to emphasize change, but can also be combined with the auxiliary 'etre' to emphasize the result of the change.
In the passive form, you always use the auxiliary être but you use the auxiliary 'avoir' in the active form.
Test your knowledge of the auxiliary verbs être and avoir by solving our online exercises!
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Alessandra is a teacher of Italian, history and geography. She teaches in Milan as a substitute teacher. She participated in the Dante Alighieri teaching course in Milan and has Ditals level 1 certification. Her teaching method is based on the level of the student. Her motto is: teaching in a creative way. She uses the Dieci Alma edition to teach.
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Hello,
I am a multilingual teacher with experience in teaching French to German, Japanese, English, Bulgarian and Italian-speaking students, etc. (levels A1 to C1).
I have been teaching French for 8 years in Luxemburg and now in Bulgaria for 4 years, to teenagers, housewives, businessmen, employees, doctors, etc. I can also help you with DELF and DALF preparation. I give lessons via Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in several countries.
My teaching method for each class : a grammar point together with listening, a lot of speaking with conversation questions or games. While you speak, I write all the new words you need to express yourself, illustrated by pictures or translated in your language.
I do my best to make you feel comfortable to speak and for you to have a pleasant time. According to me, using humour will help you learn more easily.
Whether you need to learn French for business, integration in a French-speaking country or studying, I will be happy to help you. Do not hesitate to contact me for a free trial lesson.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Katia
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I am really excited about Katia as my teacher. I think she is a very good teacher. And a nice person too. She customise the lessons according to my wishes what i would like to learn. She is very experienced with skype. It all runs very smoothly. I am looking forward to the next lessons and i highly recommend her as your teacher. Miriam
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Hello everyone. My name is Will Alberts, 52 years old, and I live in Roermond, a beautiful city in the south of Limburg (Netherlands) and I am a first-degree qualified teacher of English.
I have been teaching English at all levels to 12-18 year olds for 15 years. I've always enjoyed doing that, even during Covid-19, when we were forced to teach online. I have experience with Zoom, Teams and Skype. I liked online teaching so much that I would like to do this part-time, in addition to giving physical tutoring to my students at home.
I think it is very important that the student also decides what a lesson should look like.
If you are partly in control as a student, you are more motivated!
I have worked with many (digital) methods, but I also make my own lessons.
I am flexible in terms of time, so you decide when you want to have your lessons.
Hope to see you soon!
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Will started his career as a teacher in the Czech Republic at the age of 27. He worked in Prague for an American school for 4 years and then returned to the Netherlands to teach in different schools for different levels. Specialized in teaching for many years, in him, you will find a well-prepared, expert, friendly and inspiring teacher with a creative and simple teaching method.
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I am Diane a language tutor that has been helping students of any age and race and I am also a TEFL certified instructor.
Since I am a native Filipino Speaker, I can teach my students conversational Tagalog which includes 1 grammar rule per lesson and pronunciation as well as vocabulary to enable them to communicate with people when they travel to other places or simply with people not from their country. Aside from conversations, we will talk about our culture, cuisine and tourist spots. When I teach I use role play, dialogue, games, Audio/video files and the like which will engage my students well.
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Very nice and experienced teacher. She has a very good teaching method with slides and exercises created by her. Highly recommended for those who are new to Filipino, but also for those who would like to improve and move up to a higher level.
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Learning with a system and joy.
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Because of its linguistic relationship with English, Norwegian is relatively easy to learn for people with a knowledge of English. About a third of the vocabulary can be understood by everyone either immediately or after a few lessons. The grammar is simpler than in German or Dutch, for example. The best prerequisites for learning this wonderful language!
My lessons are aimed at beginners and advanced learners (A1-B2).
I practise modern language teaching methods that I learned at the Folke University in Bergen. This means:
- We learn by talking a lot to each other
- We will work with images that encourage us to speak
- We are not bothered by mistakes, but rather enjoy new words and success stories
- We learn new words, spellings, sentences and pronunciations by building on what we already know
- We take grammar seriously where it is important. We don't let it limit us
- We learn easiest when we have fun and enjoy it.
Regardless of whether you are preparing for a job interview, are thinking of emigrating or are just there to enjoy the matter: My lessons adapt to your wishes.
The first introductory lesson is free. If you book several hours at once, you will receive a discount.
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I was born in Luxembourg and have lived in Bergen / Norway for over 10 years. I work as a historian in a UNESCO World Heritage Museum and am in daily contact with Scandinavian history and the Norwegian language. I originally studied Scandinavian Studies, Medieval History and Archeology in Germany and Norway. I learned Norwegian about 20 years ago and taught for several years at the University of Bonn / Germany and the Folke University in Bergen / Norway. I speak 5 languages and can also read some historical languages (including Old Norse).
These experiences will make learning Norwegian a lot easier for you. I know the pitfalls that await foreigners and which donkey bridges work well. My cultural-historical knowledge will not only give you an understanding of Norwegian culture and way of life, but will also help you in a practical way to be able to easily remember strange words and formulations at first glance and not to get lost in the thicket of countless dialects.
I am looking forward to our collaboration!
Vi snakkes,
Tom
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Specialized in teaching for many years, in him you will find a well prepared, expert, friendly and inspiring teacher with a creative and at the same time simple teaching method.
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Look no further !
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Whether you want to learn French for your own pleasure or preparing for an exam, an upcoming interview or a presentation at work, I will be happy to assist you in reaching your goals.
My online classes are available at any time! Choose a subject from my curriculum or request your own topic, date, time and start master your French!
I look forward to meeting you,
Anissa, your French (and nice) teacher :)
*Please note that I'm not offering a free trial anymore*
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Bonjour! Veux-tu apprendre français? ou l'améliorer?
My classes are structured according to my students' needs, I use different teaching methods and I rely on listening each of my students' expectations and goals. Dynamism and constant learning are my purposes in my classes.
I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
À bientôt!
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Natalia L.
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We work with Janeke on improving her skills using situations from her work environment. Also, we discuss different topics, using a variety of materials. I have seen her French improve very quickly. Congratulations Janeke!
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I want to help people to improve the level of their chosen language.
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Hello everyone,
My name is Ilaria, I am 30 years old, I have a post-graduate Master in Linguistic Education at the Ca'Foscari University of Venice. I currently teach Italian to foreigners online.
I gained numerous experiences abroad, I volunteered for one year in Romania, then I worked for two years in Bucharest and two in Ireland in the field of customer service for international companies.
I am a native speaker of Italian but I speak fluent English, Romanian and French.
I currently live in Bologna.
I also love fitness, sitcoms, social media (memes are my passion) and, when the crown allows it, travel.
Can't wait to hear from you! Do not hesitate to send me a message if you would like to be guided in your process of learning my beautiful language.
I have a CEDILS certification.
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Ilaria V.
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Thanks Giacomo!
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Hello everyone!
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I love meeting new people and I am curious to discover your life path and discuss what you are passionate about.
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The conversation can be about a topic you’d like to talk about, or we can use a video, an audio, or an image and discuss around this support.
I want you to feel comfortable so, no pressure, we’re here to have fun and learn.
I look forward to meeting you, so feel free to try a free trial course ;)
See you soon!
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Manon is a lovely teacher. I really enjoyed the lessons with her and learned a lot of things. Thanks again!!!
Manon R.
Thank you very much Julia!! It was a real pleasure to know you, I too had a great time! Good continuation to you!
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Bonjour! Veux-tu apprendre français? ou l'améliorer?
My classes are structured according to my students' needs, I use different teaching methods and I rely on listening each of my students' expectations and goals. Dynamism and constant learning are my purposes in my classes.
I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
À bientôt!
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Natalia L.
Toma, your interest for the language and having learned other languages before will be very helpful for you, continue with your motivation for learning French!
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If you want to know a little more about me, I invite you to watch this video about reserving a hotel room.
https://youtu.be/d7F7mxOfKmA
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My name is Curtis Davies, I'm a native English speaker and professional language coach from Canada. I'm also the host of "The Real English Conversations Podcast". I’ve helped thousands of students improve their English skills since 2013, specifically with confidence, speaking fluency, and pronunciation to feel 100% comfortable communicating in English in any situation.
You can be sure that our lessons will be focused on the areas that you are most concerned about improving as we discuss interesting topics that you will enjoy talking about. Together, we can create a customized study plan that surely will help you reach your goals and finally feel good about your English communication.
I'm A personal trainer for English communication in Real-World situations. My lessons focus on helping you to improve your speaking fluency, pronunciation, confidence and to be prepared for everyday social interactions, casual conversations, communicating better in English at work, and even preparing you for an important interview or presentation.
What To Expect: Professional Help NOT just Conversation Practice
I'm a specialist that cares about YOU achieving your goals I will evaluate you first, then we work together as a team to create a FUN learning strategy or plan so 100% of your classes are exciting BUT focused on where you need the most practice and attention
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Alessandra is a teacher of Italian, history and geography. She teaches in Milan as a substitute teacher. She participated in the Dante Alighieri teaching course in Milan and has Ditals level 1 certification. Her teaching method is based on the level of the student. Her motto is: teaching in a creative way. She uses the Dieci Alma edition to teach.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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Hello,
I am a multilingual teacher with experience in teaching French to German, Japanese, English, Bulgarian and Italian-speaking students, etc. (levels A1 to C1).
I have been teaching French for 8 years in Luxemburg and now in Bulgaria for 4 years, to teenagers, housewives, businessmen, employees, doctors, etc. I can also help you with DELF and DALF preparation. I give lessons via Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in several countries.
My teaching method for each class : a grammar point together with listening, a lot of speaking with conversation questions or games. While you speak, I write all the new words you need to express yourself, illustrated by pictures or translated in your language.
I do my best to make you feel comfortable to speak and for you to have a pleasant time. According to me, using humour will help you learn more easily.
Whether you need to learn French for business, integration in a French-speaking country or studying, I will be happy to help you. Do not hesitate to contact me for a free trial lesson.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Katia
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I am really excited about Katia as my teacher. I think she is a very good teacher. And a nice person too. She customise the lessons according to my wishes what i would like to learn. She is very experienced with skype. It all runs very smoothly. I am looking forward to the next lessons and i highly recommend her as your teacher. Miriam
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Hello everyone. My name is Will Alberts, 52 years old, and I live in Roermond, a beautiful city in the south of Limburg (Netherlands) and I am a first-degree qualified teacher of English.
I have been teaching English at all levels to 12-18 year olds for 15 years. I've always enjoyed doing that, even during Covid-19, when we were forced to teach online. I have experience with Zoom, Teams and Skype. I liked online teaching so much that I would like to do this part-time, in addition to giving physical tutoring to my students at home.
I think it is very important that the student also decides what a lesson should look like.
If you are partly in control as a student, you are more motivated!
I have worked with many (digital) methods, but I also make my own lessons.
I am flexible in terms of time, so you decide when you want to have your lessons.
Hope to see you soon!
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Will started his career as a teacher in the Czech Republic at the age of 27. He worked in Prague for an American school for 4 years and then returned to the Netherlands to teach in different schools for different levels. Specialized in teaching for many years, in him, you will find a well-prepared, expert, friendly and inspiring teacher with a creative and simple teaching method.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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I am Diane a language tutor that has been helping students of any age and race and I am also a TEFL certified instructor.
Since I am a native Filipino Speaker, I can teach my students conversational Tagalog which includes 1 grammar rule per lesson and pronunciation as well as vocabulary to enable them to communicate with people when they travel to other places or simply with people not from their country. Aside from conversations, we will talk about our culture, cuisine and tourist spots. When I teach I use role play, dialogue, games, Audio/video files and the like which will engage my students well.
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Very nice and experienced teacher. She has a very good teaching method with slides and exercises created by her. Highly recommended for those who are new to Filipino, but also for those who would like to improve and move up to a higher level.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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1 Conjugation of avoir (to have) in French | Get an overview of the conjugation of avoir in French and study the topic online |
2 Conjugation of être (to be) in French | Get an overview of the conjuguation of the verb être in French and study the topic online |
3 Conjugation of être (to be) in French | Get an overview of the conjuguation of the verb être in French and study the topic online |