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French verbs être, avoir and aller

Learn the present tense of the three most useful French verbs, être (to be), avoir (to have) and aller (to go), with an example sentence for every form.

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The cards, front and back

  1. 1
    Front

    être (to be): present tense

    Back
    • je suis
    • tu es
    • il / elle / on est
    • nous sommes
    • vous êtes
    • ils / elles sont
  2. 2
    Front

    avoir (to have): present tense

    Back
    • j'ai
    • tu as
    • il / elle / on a
    • nous avons
    • vous avez
    • ils / elles ont
  3. 3
    Front

    aller (to go): present tense

    Back
    • je vais
    • tu vas
    • il / elle / on va
    • nous allons
    • vous allez
    • ils / elles vont
  4. 4
    Front

    I am (être)

    Back

    je suis

    Example: Je suis étudiant. (I am a student.)

    Say: zhuh SWEE

  5. 5
    Front

    you are, informal (être)

    Back

    tu es

    Example: Tu es en retard ! (You are late!)

    Say: tew AY

  6. 6
    Front

    he / she / one is (être)

    Back

    il / elle / on est

    Example: Elle est française. (She is French.)

    Say: eel AY

  7. 7
    Front

    we are (être)

    Back

    nous sommes

    Example: Nous sommes prêts. (We are ready.)

    Say: noo SOM

  8. 8
    Front

    you are, formal or plural (être)

    Back

    vous êtes

    Example: Vous êtes très gentils. (You are very kind.)

    Say: voo-ZET

  9. 9
    Front

    they are (être)

    Back

    ils / elles sont

    Example: Ils sont au cinéma. (They are at the cinema.)

    Say: eel SOHN

  10. 10
    Front

    I have (avoir)

    Back

    j'ai

    Example: J'ai un chien. (I have a dog.)

    Say: zhay

  11. 11
    Front

    you have, informal (avoir)

    Back

    tu as

    Example: Tu as un stylo ? (Do you have a pen?)

    Say: tew AH

  12. 12
    Front

    he / she / one has (avoir)

    Back

    il / elle / on a

    Example: Il a quinze ans. (He is fifteen.)

    Say: eel AH

  13. 13
    Front

    we have (avoir)

    Back

    nous avons

    Example: Nous avons cours à neuf heures. (We have class at nine.)

    Say: noo-zah-VOHN

  14. 14
    Front

    you have, formal or plural (avoir)

    Back

    vous avez

    Example: Vous avez une question ? (Do you have a question?)

    Say: voo-zah-VAY

  15. 15
    Front

    they have (avoir)

    Back

    ils / elles ont

    Example: Elles ont deux frères. (They have two brothers.)

    Say: eel-ZOHN

  16. 16
    Front

    I go (aller)

    Back

    je vais

    Example: Je vais à l'école. (I go to school.)

    Say: zhuh VAY

  17. 17
    Front

    you go, informal (aller)

    Back

    tu vas

    Example: Tu vas bien ? (Are you doing well?)

    Say: tew VAH

  18. 18
    Front

    he / she / one goes (aller)

    Back

    il / elle / on va

    Example: On va au parc ? (Shall we go to the park?)

    Say: eel VAH

  19. 19
    Front

    we go (aller)

    Back

    nous allons

    Example: Nous allons à Paris. (We are going to Paris.)

    Say: noo-zah-LOHN

  20. 20
    Front

    you go, formal or plural (aller)

    Back

    vous allez

    Example: Comment allez-vous ? (How are you?)

    Say: voo-zah-LAY

  21. 21
    Front

    they go (aller)

    Back

    ils / elles vont

    Example: Ils vont à la plage. (They are going to the beach.)

    Say: eel VOHN

  22. 22
    Front

    Expressions with avoir

    Back

    French uses avoir where English uses to be: avoir faim (to be hungry), avoir soif (to be thirsty), avoir froid (to be cold), avoir peur (to be afraid). For age: J'ai seize ans. (I am sixteen.)

  23. 23
    Front

    Near future: aller + infinitive

    Back

    Use aller plus an infinitive to say what is going to happen.

    Example: Je vais manger. (I am going to eat.) Nous allons partir demain. (We are going to leave tomorrow.)

  24. 24
    Front

    Avoir and être in the perfect tense

    Back

    Most verbs form the passé composé with avoir: J'ai mangé. A group of verbs, mostly of movement such as aller, use être: Je suis allé (or allée if the speaker is female).

How to use this template

This deck drills the present tense of être, avoir and aller, three irregular verbs you use in almost every French sentence. The first three cards show each full conjugation; the next eighteen test one form at a time with an example sentence and a pronunciation guide; the last three show common expressions and how these verbs build other tenses. It suits beginners in their first year of French and anyone revising the basics. Learn the tables first, then use Test mode and spaced repetition to recall each form quickly. Print it double-sided for quick classroom quizzes.

Tips

  • Chant each table out loud, top to bottom, until it feels automatic, then shuffle the single-form cards.
  • Notice the sound patterns: nous forms end in -ons except nous sommes, and vous forms end in -ez except vous êtes.
  • Watch the liaison: nous avons and ils ont have a z sound between the words.
  • Write one sentence about yourself with each form, for example J'ai un frère or Je vais au cinéma.
  • Learn the avoir expressions as fixed phrases. Saying je suis faim is a very common mistake.

Make it fit

  • Add faire (to do or make) and prendre (to take) with the same card layout.
  • Add negative forms, such as je ne suis pas and je n'ai pas, for extra practice.
  • Teachers can print the single-form cards for a pairs or matching game.
  • Add the imperfect tense of être (j'étais, tu étais...) for intermediate learners.

Updated October 28, 2026

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