Expressions with Avoir - Avoir Faim, Soif, Peur

In French, these expressions use a noun instead of an adjective. When you say J'ai faim, you are literally saying "I have hunger." Because faim is a noun, it pairs with the verb avoir. You do not need to worry about making the word "hungry" agree with your gender. Whether you are a man, a woman, or a group, faim stays exactly the same. The only thing that changes is the conjugation of avoir. It is like carrying a backpack. The backpack (hunger) stays the same. Only the person carrying it (the subject) changes. This logic applies to thirst and fear as well. You possess these sensations. You do not embody them. It is a more external way of looking at feelings.

1. 1To build these sentences, follow these three simple steps:
2. 2Pick your subject (like Je, Tu, or Marie).
3. 3Conjugate the verb avoir to match your subject.
4. 4Add the noun (faim, soif, or peur) directly after the verb.
5. 5Crucially, do not add an article like le, la, or un. It is not J'ai la faim. It is simply J'ai faim. If you want to say you are "very" hungry, you use très. For example: J'ai très faim. You can also use grand with some expressions, like J'ai une grande faim, but très is your best friend for A2 level. Just remember: Subject + Avoir + Noun. That is the magic formula for success.

Use these expressions whenever you are describing a physical necessity or an emotional reaction.

• Ordering Food: When you walk into a bakery, you might say J'ai faim to explain why you want three croissants.
• Asking for Water: If you are hiking in Provence, you will definitely need to say J'ai soif to your friends.
• Expressing Fear: If you see a giant spider in your hotel room, J'ai peur is your go-to phrase.
• Job Interviews: You might say J'ai peur de ne pas réussir (I am afraid of not succeeding) to show vulnerability.
• Socializing: Asking a friend Tu as soif ? is the standard way to offer a drink.

These are daily-life phrases. You will hear them at the dinner table, in movies, and on the street. They are the bread and butter of French conversation.

Do not use avoir for temporary moods that are not physical needs. For example, if you are happy, sad, or tired, you go back to être.

• Moods: Use Je suis heureux (I am happy), not J'ai heureux.
• Tiredness: Use Je suis fatigué (I am tired).
• Personal Traits: Use Je suis grand (I am tall).

Also, avoid using avoir with adjectives. Since faim, soif, and peur are nouns, they work. But you cannot say J'ai intelligent. That would mean "I have intelligent," which makes no sense in any language! Yes, even native speakers mess this up when they learn English, so don't feel bad if you do the reverse. It is a two-way street of confusion.

The most frequent mistake is using être. You will want to say Je suis faim because it sounds like English. Resist the urge! If you say Je suis faim, a French person might think your name is "Hunger."

Another mistake is adding articles. J'ai la soif sounds very clunky and unnatural. Keep it lean: J'ai soif.

Lastly, watch out for the conjugation of avoir. Many learners confuse ils ont (they have) with ils sont (they are). If you say Ils sont peur, you are saying "They are fear," which sounds like a title for a horror movie. Always double-check that you are using the "A" verb, not the "E" verb.

It is helpful to compare these with temperature expressions. In French, we say J'ai chaud (I am hot) and J'ai froid (I am cold). This follows the same avoir logic. However, be careful! If you say Je suis chaud, it doesn't mean you are feeling warm. It usually means you are "hot" in a suggestive way or that you are "ready/down" for an activity. To avoid an awkward moment at a family dinner, always stick to J'ai chaud.

Similarly, J'ai raison (I am right) and J'ai tort (I am wrong) use avoir. French treats "rightness" and "wrongness" as things you possess. English treats them as things you are. It is a fascinating cultural difference in how we perceive reality.