Italian verb avere exercises

A free A1 (beginner) Italian exercise on Avere (to have): 60 fill in the blank questions in 4 sets, from core practice to a mixed review, each with the answer and a short explanation. Or take a random round of 10. No account needed.

The rule in brief

Avere ("to have") is irregular in the present tense. The h in ho, hai, ha and hanno is never pronounced: it is there only to tell ho ("I have") apart from o ("or"), ha from a ("to") and hanno from anno ("year").

Avere expresses possession (ho una sorella, hanno una casa al mare), but Italian also uses it in many everyday phrases where English uses "to be". Age is one: ho vent’anni means "I am twenty". Physical feelings are another: avere fame (to be hungry), avere sete (to be thirsty), avere freddo and avere caldo (to be cold, to be hot), avere sonno (to be sleepy). Avere fretta (to be in a hurry), avere ragione (to be right) and avere torto (to be wrong) work the same way.

As with every verb, the subject pronoun is usually left out and non goes before the verb in the negative: non ho tempo.

Person	Avere
io	ho
tu	hai
lui / lei / Lei	ha
noi	abbiamo
voi	avete
loro	hanno

Quanti anni hai? Ho diciotto anni. · How old are you? I’m eighteen.
Abbiamo fame: andiamo a mangiare? · We’re hungry: shall we go and eat?

Exercises · 60 questions in 4 sets

Write the correct present-tense form of avere.

Set 1 · Core practice

1
Mia sorella ventidue anni.(avere)
My sister is twenty-two.
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ha · Italian gives age with avere. Mia sorella is lei, so the form is ha.
2
Io vent’anni e studio a Bologna.(avere)
I’m twenty and I study in Bologna.
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ho · Age uses avere, not essere. With io the form is ho.
3
Ragazzi, fame?(avere)
Guys, are you hungry?
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avete · Being hungry is avere fame. Ragazzi addresses a group as voi, so the form is avete.
4
sete, mi dai un bicchiere d’acqua?(avere)
I’m thirsty, can you give me a glass of water?
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Ho · Being thirsty is avere sete. Mi dai ("give me") shows the speaker is io, so the form is ho.
5
Noi freddo: chiudiamo la finestra?(avere)
We’re cold: shall we close the window?
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abbiamo · Feeling cold is avere freddo. With noi the form is abbiamo.
6
Quanti anni , Marco?(avere)
How old are you, Marco?
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hai · You are asking Marco directly (tu), so the form is hai.
7
I miei nonni una casa al mare.(avere)
My grandparents have a house by the sea.
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hanno · I miei nonni means loro, so the form is hanno.
8
Tu fratelli o sorelle?(avere)
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
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hai · With tu the form is hai.
9
Il nostro professore due figli.(avere)
Our teacher has two children.
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ha · Il nostro professore is one person (lui), so the form is ha.
10
Oggi noi non tempo, mi dispiace.(avere)
We don’t have time today, I’m sorry.
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abbiamo · With noi the form is abbiamo; non goes before the verb.
11
Voi una macchina?(avere)
Do you (all) have a car?
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avete · With voi the form is avete.
12
I bambini sonno: è tardi.(avere)
The children are sleepy: it’s late.
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hanno · Being sleepy is avere sonno. I bambini means loro, so the form is hanno.
13
Scusi, signora, un minuto?(avere)
Excuse me, madam, do you have a minute?
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ha · Scusi and signora show formal Lei, which takes the same form as lei: ha.
14
Oggi io lezione fino alle sei.(avere)
Today I have lessons until six.
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ho · With io the form is ho, written with a silent h.
15
Hai ragione tu, e Paolo torto.(avere)
You’re right, and Paolo is wrong.
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ha · Avere ragione and avere torto mean "to be right" and "to be wrong". Paolo is lui, so the form is ha.

15 questions.

Set 2 · More practice

16
Io una sorella e due fratelli.(avere)
I have one sister and two brothers.
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ho · With io the form is ho.
17
Marta un gatto bianco.(avere)
Marta has a white cat.
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ha · Marta is one person (lei), so the form is ha.
18
Noi una casa in montagna.(avere)
We have a house in the mountains.
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abbiamo · With noi the form is abbiamo.
19
Tu la patente?(avere)
Do you have a driving licence?
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hai · With tu the form is hai.
20
Voi un cane o un gatto?(avere)
Do you (all) have a dog or a cat?
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avete · With voi the form is avete, the only form besides abbiamo with no h.
21
I miei cugini un negozio in centro.(avere)
My cousins have a shop in the centre.
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hanno · I miei cugini means loro, so the form is hanno.
22
Mio padre cinquant’anni.(avere)
My father is fifty.
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ha · Age uses avere, not essere. Mio padre is lui, so the form is ha.
23
Io non caldo, sto bene così.(avere)
I’m not hot, I’m fine like this.
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ho · Feeling hot is avere caldo. With io the form is ho; non goes before the verb.
24
Paola sempre fretta la mattina.(avere)
Paola is always in a hurry in the morning.
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ha · Being in a hurry is avere fretta. Paola is lei, so the form is ha.
25
Noi due biglietti per il concerto.(avere)
We have two tickets for the concert.
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abbiamo · With noi the form is abbiamo.
26
Che cosa nello zaino, Luca?(avere)
What have you got in your backpack, Luca?
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hai · You are asking Luca directly (tu), so the form is hai.
27
I ragazzi sete dopo la partita.(avere)
The boys are thirsty after the match.
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hanno · Being thirsty is avere sete. I ragazzi means loro, so the form is hanno.
28
Mia madre gli occhi azzurri.(avere)
My mother has blue eyes.
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ha · Mia madre is one person (lei), so the form is ha.
29
Voi caldo? Apro la finestra.(avere)
Are you (all) hot? I’ll open the window.
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avete · Feeling hot is avere caldo. With voi the form is avete.
30
L’albergo una piscina.(avere)
The hotel has a swimming pool.
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ha · L’albergo is a singular subject (it), so the form is ha.

15 questions.

Set 3 · Trickier cases

31
Mio figlio paura del buio.(avere)
My son is afraid of the dark.
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ha · Being afraid is avere paura, another phrase where English uses "to be". Mio figlio is lui, so the form is ha.
32
Io bisogno di un caffè.(avere)
I need a coffee.
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ho · Avere bisogno di means "to need". With io the form is ho.
33
Stasera non voglia di uscire, resto a casa.(avere)
I don’t feel like going out tonight, I’m staying at home.
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ho · Avere voglia di means "to feel like". Resto shows the speaker is io, so the form is ho.
34
Tu e Giulia un cane, vero?(avere)
You and Giulia have a dog, don’t you?
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avete · Tu e Giulia means voi, so the form is avete.
35
Io e mia sorella due anni di differenza.(avere)
My sister and I are two years apart.
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abbiamo · Age differences use avere too. Io e mia sorella means noi, so the form is abbiamo.
36
Quanti anni i tuoi figli?(avere)
How old are your children?
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hanno · The subject i tuoi figli comes after the verb, but it is plural (loro), so the form is hanno.
37
Signor Galli, mal di testa?(avere)
Mr Galli, do you have a headache?
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ha · Signor Galli is addressed formally (Lei), which takes the same form as lui: ha.
38
I gemelli di Laura solo un anno.(avere)
Laura’s twins are only one.
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hanno · I gemelli means loro, so the form is hanno, with an h: anno without h means "year".
39
Giorgio un appuntamento a Milano alle tre.(avere)
Giorgio has an appointment in Milan at three.
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ha · Giorgio is lui, so the form is ha. Without the h, a means "to" or "in", as in a Milano.
40
freddo o caldo, nonna?(avere)
Are you cold or hot, Grandma?
Show answer
Hai · You are speaking to your grandmother informally (tu), so the form is hai. Note o ("or") with no h, unlike ho ("I have").
41
La mia famiglia una casa vicino al lago.(avere)
My family has a house near the lake.
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ha · Famiglia is a singular noun, even though it refers to several people, so the form is ha.
42
Non torto, signora: il treno parte alle otto.(avere)
You’re not wrong, madam: the train leaves at eight.
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ha · Signora shows formal Lei, which takes the same form as lei: ha.
43
Chi una penna da prestarmi?(avere)
Who has a pen to lend me?
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ha · Chi ("who") always takes the singular form of the verb, so it is ha, even if you ask a whole group.
44
Mia nonna novant’anni ma è ancora molto attiva.(avere)
My grandmother is ninety but she’s still very active.
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ha · Age uses avere (ha novant’anni), while a description uses essere (è attiva). Mia nonna is lei, so ha.
45
Noi fame, ma il ristorante apre solo alle sette e mezza.(avere)
We’re hungry, but the restaurant only opens at half past seven.
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abbiamo · Being hungry is avere fame. With noi the form is abbiamo.

15 questions.

Set 4 · Mixed review

46
Il mio collega sempre fame alle undici.(avere)
My colleague is always hungry at eleven.
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ha · Being hungry is avere fame. Il mio collega is lui, so the form is ha.
47
Ragazzi, voglia di un gelato?(avere)
Guys, do you fancy an ice cream?
Show answer
avete · Avere voglia di means "to feel like". Ragazzi addresses a group as voi, so the form is avete.
48
Io e Marco una figlia di tre anni.(avere)
Marco and I have a three-year-old daughter.
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abbiamo · Io e Marco means noi, so the form is abbiamo.
49
Mi dispiace, oggi i miei genitori non tempo.(avere)
I’m sorry, my parents don’t have time today.
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hanno · I miei genitori means loro, so the form is hanno; non goes before the verb.
50
Quanti anni tua madre?(avere)
How old is your mother?
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ha · Age uses avere. Tua madre is lei, so the form is ha.
51
Tu sempre ragione, eh?(avere)
You’re always right, aren’t you?
Show answer
hai · Being right is avere ragione. With tu the form is hai.
52
Mangio un panino perché fame.(avere)
I’m eating a sandwich because I’m hungry.
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ho · Mangio shows the speaker is io, so the form is ho.
53
Le mie amiche un appartamento vicino all’università.(avere)
My friends have a flat near the university.
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hanno · Le mie amiche means loro, so the form is hanno.
54
Dottoressa, Lei ragione: devo dormire di più.(avere)
Doctor, you’re right: I need to sleep more.
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ha · Formal Lei takes the same form as lei: ha.
55
Il nostro appartamento tre camere e due bagni.(avere)
Our flat has three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
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ha · Il nostro appartamento is a singular subject (it), so the form is ha.
56
Perché non mangiate? Non fame?(avere)
Why aren’t you eating? Aren’t you hungry?
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avete · Mangiate shows you are talking to voi, so the form is avete.
57
Noi sonno: andiamo a letto.(avere)
We’re sleepy: let’s go to bed.
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abbiamo · Being sleepy is avere sonno. With noi the form is abbiamo.
58
Giulia non va al lavoro perché la febbre.(avere)
Giulia isn’t going to work because she has a temperature.
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ha · Having a temperature is avere la febbre. Giulia is lei, so the form is ha.
59
Tu freddo? Ti do il mio maglione.(avere)
Are you cold? I’ll give you my jumper.
Show answer
hai · Feeling cold is avere freddo. With tu the form is hai.
60
I signori Ferri due bambini e un cane.(avere)
Mr and Mrs Ferri have two children and a dog.
Show answer
hanno · I signori Ferri means loro, so the form is hanno.

15 questions.

Learn it in the free course

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The rule in brief

Exercises · 60 questions in 4 sets

Set 1 · Core practice

Set 2 · More practice

Set 3 · Trickier cases

Set 4 · Mixed review

Random 10

Learn it in the free course

More A1 Italian exercises