There are many expressions in Italian that are used very often, but which you may have to think twice about before translating directly from English. If you want to say that you’re hungry, for example, it may take a while before it feels natural not to use the verb essere (“to be”).
In this article we are looking at everyday avere expressions. These are expressions that use the verb avere in Italian, but whose English equivalent doesn’t contain the verb “to have”.
The Coffee Break Italian Show is a podcast series of bite-sized, friendly conversations, in which we demystify tricky Italian language topics. In the latest episode, Francesca and Maurizio discuss the verb avere and some of the most common expressions featuring this verb, which don’t translate using “to have” in English. This episode is the second part of a double episode on this topic. So, before we start, if you haven’t already watched our other episode on this topic, or read its accompanying blog article, you can find it here.
When you’re ready, continue reading to find out more and why not listen to the podcast as you go?
Everyday ‘avere’ expressions: a quick recap
To help you review the expressions we discussed in our previous episode and blog article, let’s do a quick recap – cominciamo con un ripassino!
While in English you use the verb “to be” to talk about how old you are, in Italian you have to use the verb avere.
avere _ anni
to be _ years old
For example:
Ho diciotto anni.
I’m eighteen years old.
The same happens with other expressions, such as:
avere caldo
to be warm / hot
avere freddo
to be cold
Remember that you don’t need to worry about gender agreement with these expressions because we are using avere and not essere. For example, both Francesca and Maurizio would say ho freddo or ho caldo to say that they’re feeling cold or warm.
The following expressions also use avere, whereas in English they are translated using the verb “to be”.
avere fame
to be hungry
avere sete
to be thirsty
avere sonno
to be sleepy
For example:
Abbiamo sempre sonno.
We are always sleepy.
Francesca and Maurizio also mention some other expressions, such as:
avere ragione
to be right
avere torto
to be wrong
Here are some examples:
Tu hai ragione.
You’re right.
Francesca non ha mai torto.
Francesca is never wrong.
We also use avere to express being in a hurry.
avere fretta
to be in a hurry
For example:
Ho fretta!
I’m in a hurry!
To say that you are scared of something, in Italian we literally say that you “have fear of” something.
avere paura (di)
to be scared (of)
For example:
Ho paura del buio.
I’m scared of the dark.
Finally, to say that you need or feel like something, in Italian you literally “have need of” or “have desire of” something.
avere bisogno di
to need
avere voglia di
to feel like, to want, to fancy, to crave
For example:
Ho bisogno di aiuto.
I need help.
Ho voglia di un gelato.
I’m craving ice cream.
Ho voglia di leggere un libro.
I feel like reading a book.
Let’s practise!
Now it’s time for una piccola sfida, “a little challenge”. In the second part of the podcast episode, Francesca and Maurizio challenge each other to use as many avere expressions as possible to describe how they feel in each of the scenarios they give each other.
Below are the written versions of the short paragraphs Francesca and Maurizio come up with. Why not have a go yourself and write down your own paragraph for each of the situations presented, fitting in as many avere expressions as you can?
Cominciamo!
Situation 1
It’s a snowy day and you have to go to work.
Take a few minutes to write down your own answer, then take a look at what Francesca comes up with below.
Francesca’s answer:
Ho freddo. Ho voglia di un caffè / tè bollente. Ho bisogno di una giacca pesante. Ho sonno.
I’m cold. I fancy a hot coffee / tea. I need a heavy jacket. I’m sleepy.
Situation 2
You’ve just come back from a hard day at work and you haven’t had your dinner yet.
How many avere expressions can you use to describe how you feel in this scenario?
Here’s Maurizio’s answer:
Ho molta fame. Ho famissima! Ho sonno perché ho lavorato. Ho voglia di una pizza. Ho bisogno di rilassarmi.
I’m very hungry. I’m super hungry! I’m sleepy because I’ve worked. I’m craving a pizza. I need to relax.
Situation 3
You’re on holiday on a tropical island and the sun is shining.
Here’s what Francesca comes up with:
Ho caldo. Ho bisogno della crema solare. Ho voglia di uno spritz. E anche probabilmente ho paura di scottarmi.
I’m warm. I need sunscreen. I feel like a spritz. And I’m also probably afraid of getting sunburned.
Situation 4
You’re moving to a new house with a friend of yours.
Have a go at writing your answer to this final challenge before looking at Maurizio’s answer below.
Maurizio’s answer:
Ho sete. Ho voglia di un bicchiere d’acqua. Devo avere pazienza perché il trasloco è stancante. Ho voglia di fare una festa.
I’m thirsty. I want a glass of water. I have to be patient because moving is tiring. I want to have a party.
È tutto per oggi
Ed eccoci alla fine! We hope you enjoyed practising these expressions with avere. We’re sure that they will come in handy in many conversations you’ll have in Italian.
Make sure to listen to the full podcast episode that accompanies this blog article with Francesca and Maurizio on The Coffee Break Italian Show. This is the series in which we look at a range of topics for Italian learners, so subscribe to our podcast feed and our channel on YouTube to find out when the next episode is available.
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Happy Coffee Breaking!
