j'ai
In French, 'I have' is expressed as j'ai.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form j'ai is a contraction of je (I) and ai (have) used before a vowel.
Did you know?
- The verb avoir can be used in the phrase j'ai beau, which doesn't mean 'I have beautiful' but translates to 'no matter how hard I try' or 'even though I'.
- The phrase j'ai is used in the expression j'ai hâte, which literally means 'I have haste' but is the standard way to say 'I can't wait' or 'I am looking forward to it'.
- The word ai in j'ai comes from the Latin 'habeo', which is the direct ancestor of the English word 'have'.
Examples in context
- J'ai foi en toi.I have faith in you.Tatoeba #6911765 by felix63, translation #1345046 by CM
- J'ai vu un chien.I have seen a dog.Tatoeba #6818 by Cocorico, translation #4214729 by geebee60
- J'ai tant à dire.I have so much to say.Tatoeba #4166658 by sacredceltic, translation #3729620 by CM
- J'ai une voiture.I have a car.
- J'ai un stylo et un carnet.I have a pen and a notebook.
- Je possède une entreprise.I have a business.
- J'ai une nouvelle voiture.I have a new car.
- J'ai de bons amisI have good friends.
- J'ai de bonnes nouvelles à te partager.I have some good news to share with you.
- 2523 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are talking about their day.
- ManonEst-ce que tu es prêt, Gabriel ?Are you ready, Gabriel?
- GabrielNon, j'ai encore beaucoup de choses à faire.No, I still have a lot of things to do.
- ManonMoi, j'ai déjà fini mes devoirs.As for me, I have already finished my homework.
- GabrielTu es très rapide, Manon !You are very fast, Manon!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries j'ai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
