Using "To Have" in Italian
Using “To Have” in Italian 🇮🇹

One of the most important verbs in Italian is avere — “to have”. Italians use it every day to talk about possessions, age, feelings, physical states, and responsibilities.

avere
to have
AVERE – Present Tense
Pronoun Verb Meaning
io ho I have
tu hai you have (singular)
lui / lei ha he / she has
noi abbiamo we have
voi avete you all have
loro hanno they have
Dropping the Pronoun

Just like with other verbs, Italians often drop the subject pronoun. The verb form already tells who is speaking.

Ho tempo. — I have time
Abbiamo una domanda. — We have a question
Hanno una macchina nuova. — They have a new car
Using AVERE for Possession

The most direct use of avere is to talk about what someone owns or has.

Ho una sorella.
I have a sister.

Lei ha un cane.
She has a dog.

Abbiamo un appartamento a Milano.
We have an apartment in Milan.
Using AVERE for Age

In Italian, you don’t be a certain age — you have it.

Ho venticinque anni.
I am 25 years old.

Mio padre ha sessant’anni.
My father is 60 years old.
AVERE + Feelings & States

Italians use avere to express many feelings and conditions, where English often uses “to be”.

Ho paura.
I am afraid.

Hai ragione.
You are right.

Abbiamo fretta.
We are in a hurry.

Loro hanno bisogno di aiuto.
They need help.
AVERE in Everyday Conversations

You’ll hear avere constantly in daily Italian. Here are some very natural examples.

Hai tempo?
Do you have time?

Ho un’idea!
I have an idea!

Non abbiamo soldi.
We don’t have money.
Beginner Tip 💚
If English uses “to be” but the sentence sounds emotional, physical, or abstract, Italian often uses avere. Practice with short, simple sentences first.
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