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The French word "as" is the second person singular present tense form of the verb "avoir" (to have). It corresponds to "you have" in English when speaking informally to one person. This fundamental verb form is essential for everyday French communication.
Definition: "as" [a] means "you have" (informal singular) in French. It is used when speaking to one person with whom you are on familiar terms - a friend, family member, or someone your age or younger.
Q: What does "as" mean in French? A: "As" means "you have" in French. It is the informal singular form of the verb "avoir" (to have) used when speaking to one person you know well.
In this lesson, we'll explore "as" in various contexts - from simple possession to idiomatic expressions. You'll see how this versatile verb form appears in different positions within sentences and combines with other words to create meaningful communication.
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Subject: French Language Learning -
Level: Beginner to Intermediate -
Focus: Verb conjugation - avoir (2nd person singular) -
Learning Type: Self-study/Autodidactic -
Skills: Reading, Grammar, Vocabulary
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"As" means "you have" (informal singular) -
It's used with friends, family, and informal situations -
It appears in many common expressions -
The pronunciation is simple: [a] like "ah" -
It's one of the most frequently used verb forms in French
58.1 Tu you as have un a chat cat noir black
58.2 Est-ce is-it que that tu you as have faim hunger?
58.3 Tu you as have raison reason mon my ami friend
58.4 Quel what âge age as have -tu you?
58.5 Tu you n' not as have pas not le the temps time
58.6 As have -tu you vu seen Marie Marie?
58.7 Pourquoi why as have -tu you peur fear?
58.8 Tu you as have de of la the chance luck
58.9 Combien how-many d' of euros euros as have -tu you?
58.10 Tu you as have l' the air air fatigué tired
58.11 As have -tu you besoin need d' of aide help?
58.12 Tu you as have tort wrong cette this fois time
58.13 Qu' what est-ce is-it que that tu you as have fait done?
58.14 Tu you as have déjà already mangé eaten?
58.15 As have -tu you envie desire de of sortir go-out?
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58.1 Tu as un chat noir. You have a black cat.
58.2 Est-ce que tu as faim? Are you hungry?
58.3 Tu as raison, mon ami. You're right, my friend.
58.4 Quel âge as-tu? How old are you?
58.5 Tu n'as pas le temps. You don't have time.
58.6 As-tu vu Marie? Have you seen Marie?
58.7 Pourquoi as-tu peur? Why are you afraid?
58.8 Tu as de la chance. You're lucky.
58.9 Combien d'euros as-tu? How many euros do you have?
58.10 Tu as l'air fatigué. You look tired.
58.11 As-tu besoin d'aide? Do you need help?
58.12 Tu as tort cette fois. You're wrong this time.
58.13 Qu'est-ce que tu as fait? What have you done?
58.14 Tu as déjà mangé? Have you already eaten?
58.15 As-tu envie de sortir? Do you feel like going out?
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58.1 Tu as un chat noir.
58.2 Est-ce que tu as faim?
58.3 Tu as raison, mon ami.
58.4 Quel âge as-tu?
58.5 Tu n'as pas le temps.
58.6 As-tu vu Marie?
58.7 Pourquoi as-tu peur?
58.8 Tu as de la chance.
58.9 Combien d'euros as-tu?
58.10 Tu as l'air fatigué.
58.11 As-tu besoin d'aide?
58.12 Tu as tort cette fois.
58.13 Qu'est-ce que tu as fait?
58.14 Tu as déjà mangé?
58.15 As-tu envie de sortir?
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"As" is the second person singular informal present tense form of the verb "avoir" (to have). Here's what English speakers need to know:
Basic Formation -
Infinitive: avoir (to have) -
Tu (you informal) + as = you have
Present Tense Conjugation of Avoir -
j'ai (I have) -
tu as (you have - informal) -
il/elle/on a (he/she/one has) -
nous avons (we have) -
vous avez (you have - formal/plural) -
ils/elles ont (they have)
Question Formation In French, you can form questions with "as" in three ways: -
Inversion: As-tu...? (Have you...?) -
Est-ce que: Est-ce que tu as...? (Do you have...?) -
Rising intonation: Tu as...? (You have...?)
Negative Formation To make "as" negative, use: Tu n'as pas (You don't have) The "ne" becomes "n'" before a vowel.
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Using "as" with "vous" -
Wrong: Vous as un livre -
Correct: Vous avez un livre -
Remember: "as" is only for "tu" -
Forgetting the hyphen in questions -
Wrong: As tu faim? -
Correct: As-tu faim? -
The hyphen is required in inverted questions -
Confusing "as" with "à" -
"as" = you have -
"à" = to/at -
They sound different: "as" [a], "à" [a] -
Using English word order -
Wrong: Tu as noir chat (following English "black cat") -
Correct: Tu as un chat noir -
Adjectives usually come after nouns in French
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Identify if you're speaking to one person informally -
Use "tu" as your subject -
Add "as" immediately after -
Complete with object/complement -
For questions, either invert (as-tu) or use "est-ce que"
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avoir faim (to be hungry): tu as faim -
avoir soif (to be thirsty): tu as soif -
avoir raison (to be right): tu as raison -
avoir tort (to be wrong): tu as tort -
avoir peur (to be afraid): tu as peur -
avoir l'air (to look/seem): tu as l'air -
avoir besoin de (to need): tu as besoin de -
avoir envie de (to feel like): tu as envie de
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For English speakers, one of the most challenging aspects of using "as" correctly is understanding when to use the informal "tu" form versus the formal "vous" form. This distinction doesn't exist in English, where "you" serves all purposes.
When to Use "tu as" (informal) -
With friends and family -
With children and teenagers -
With classmates and close colleagues -
In casual social situations -
On social media with peers
When to Switch to "vous avez" (formal) -
With strangers and elderly people -
In professional settings -
With authority figures -
In shops and restaurants (initially) -
When showing respect
The French Tutoiement The act of switching from "vous" to "tu" is called "tutoiement" and is culturally significant. Someone might say "On peut se tutoyer?" (Can we use "tu"?) to suggest a more informal relationship. This is a social milestone in French relationships.
Regional Differences -
In Quebec, "tu" is used more liberally than in France -
In France, the rules are more strictly observed -
Younger generations tend to use "tu" more quickly -
Online communication often defaults to "tu"
Common Cultural Expressions Many French expressions using "as" reflect cultural values: -
"Tu as du pain sur la planche" (You have bread on the board = You have a lot of work) -
"Tu as le cafard" (You have the cockroach = You're feeling down) -
"Tu as la pêche" (You have the peach = You're in great form)
These idiomatic expressions show how "avoir" expressions often describe states of being rather than possession, unlike in English.
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From "Le Petit Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1943)
"Tu as des cheveux couleur d'or. Alors ce sera merveilleux quand tu m'auras apprivoisé! Le blé, qui est doré, me fera souvenir de toi. Et j'aimerai le bruit du vent dans le blé..."
Tu you as have des some cheveux hair couleur color d' of or gold. Alors then ce it sera will-be merveilleux marvelous quand when tu you m' me auras will-have apprivoisé tamed! Le the blé wheat, qui which est is doré golden, me me fera will-make souvenir remember de of toi you. Et and j' I aimerai will-love le the bruit sound du of-the vent wind dans in le the blé wheat...
"Tu as des cheveux couleur d'or. Alors ce sera merveilleux quand tu m'auras apprivoisé! Le blé, qui est doré, me fera souvenir de toi. Et j'aimerai le bruit du vent dans le blé..."
"You have golden hair. So it will be marvelous when you have tamed me! The wheat, which is golden, will remind me of you. And I will love the sound of the wind in the wheat..."
This passage from "The Little Prince" showcases the fox speaking to the prince. The use of "tu as" establishes the intimate, philosophical conversation between these two characters. Saint-Exupéry chose the informal "tu" to create a sense of innocence and directness.
Key Grammar Points: -
"Tu as" - present tense, showing current possession -
"des cheveux" - partitive article with plural noun -
"couleur d'or" - noun phrase describing color -
"tu m'auras apprivoisé" - future perfect tense -
The passage demonstrates how "as" functions in literary French -
Note the poetic word order maintaining rhythm
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58.16 Salut hi Emma Emma, tu you as have une a minute minute?
58.17 Tu you as have l' the adresse address du of-the nouveau new restaurant restaurant?
58.18 Dis say -moi me, as have -tu you reçu received mon my message message hier yesterday?
58.19 Tu you as have vraiment really bonne good mine appearance aujourd'hui today!
58.20 As have -tu you pensé thought à about ce what que that je I t' you ai have dit said?
58.21 Tu you n' not as have pas not oublié forgotten notre our rendez-vous appointment, j' I espère hope?
58.22 Qu' what est-ce is-it que that tu you as have prévu planned pour for ce this week-end weekend?
58.23 Tu you as have toujours still ton your vieux old vélo bike?
58.24 As have -tu you essayé tried le the nouveau new café coffee en on face front?
58.25 Tu you as have combien how-much de of temps time devant before toi you?
58.26 Est-ce is-it que that tu you as have des some nouvelles news de of Paul Paul?
58.27 Tu you as have changé changed de of coiffure hairstyle, non no?
58.28 As have -tu you terminé finished le the livre book que that je I t' you ai have prêté lent?
58.29 Tu you as have passé spent de of bonnes good vacances holidays?
58.30 Alors so, tu you as have trouvé found ce what que that tu you cherchais were-looking-for?
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58.16 Salut Emma, tu as une minute? Hi Emma, do you have a minute?
58.17 Tu as l'adresse du nouveau restaurant? Do you have the address of the new restaurant?
58.18 Dis-moi, as-tu reçu mon message hier? Tell me, did you receive my message yesterday?
58.19 Tu as vraiment bonne mine aujourd'hui! You look really well today!
58.20 As-tu pensé à ce que je t'ai dit? Have you thought about what I told you?
58.21 Tu n'as pas oublié notre rendez-vous, j'espère? You haven't forgotten our appointment, I hope?
58.22 Qu'est-ce que tu as prévu pour ce week-end? What have you planned for this weekend?
58.23 Tu as toujours ton vieux vélo? Do you still have your old bike?
58.24 As-tu essayé le nouveau café en face? Have you tried the new café across the street?
58.25 Tu as combien de temps devant toi? How much time do you have?
58.26 Est-ce que tu as des nouvelles de Paul? Do you have news from Paul?
58.27 Tu as changé de coiffure, non? You've changed your hairstyle, haven't you?
58.28 As-tu terminé le livre que je t'ai prêté? Have you finished the book I lent you?
58.29 Tu as passé de bonnes vacances? Did you have a good holiday?
58.30 Alors, tu as trouvé ce que tu cherchais? So, did you find what you were looking for?
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58.16 Salut Emma, tu as une minute?
58.17 Tu as l'adresse du nouveau restaurant?
58.18 Dis-moi, as-tu reçu mon message hier?
58.19 Tu as vraiment bonne mine aujourd'hui!
58.20 As-tu pensé à ce que je t'ai dit?
58.21 Tu n'as pas oublié notre rendez-vous, j'espère?
58.22 Qu'est-ce que tu as prévu pour ce week-end?
58.23 Tu as toujours ton vieux vélo?
58.24 As-tu essayé le nouveau café en face?
58.25 Tu as combien de temps devant toi?
58.26 Est-ce que tu as des nouvelles de Paul?
58.27 Tu as changé de coiffure, non?
58.28 As-tu terminé le livre que je t'ai prêté?
58.29 Tu as passé de bonnes vacances?
58.30 Alors, tu as trouvé ce que tu cherchais?
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In contemporary French dialogue, "as" appears in many contexts beyond simple possession:
Past Tense with "as" When combined with past participles, "as" forms the passé composé: -
Tu as mangé (You ate/have eaten) -
Tu as trouvé (You found/have found) -
Tu as reçu (You received/have received)
Common Question Patterns -
Simple inversion: As-tu...? -
Est-ce que: Est-ce que tu as...? -
Informal rising tone: Tu as...? -
Tag questions: Tu as..., non?
Idiomatic Expressions in Conversation -
avoir bonne mine (to look well) -
avoir le temps (to have time) -
avoir des nouvelles (to have news) -
avoir envie de (to feel like)
Register and Tone Contemporary dialogue shows: -
Casual greetings (Salut) -
Informal contractions (t'ai for te + ai) -
Colloquial expressions (Dis-moi) -
Modern vocabulary (week-end)
Word Order Flexibility French allows various word orders for emphasis: -
Standard: Tu as une minute? -
With emphasis: Une minute, tu as? -
In questions: As-tu une minute?
Temporal Expressions "As" frequently combines with time markers: -
Tu as toujours (you still have) -
Tu as déjà (you already have) -
Tu as maintenant (you now have)
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This lesson is part of the Latinum Institute's comprehensive language learning series, designed specifically for autodidactic learners. The method, developed by Evan der Millner BA MA (Cantab. NZ, London), combines traditional philological approaches with modern pedagogical insights.
The Latinum Method Since 2006, the Latinum Institute has been pioneering online language education through carefully structured lessons that emphasize: -
Gradual vocabulary building through construed texts -
Systematic grammar instruction -
Cultural contextualization -
Literary engagement -
Multi-sensory learning approaches
Course Features Each lesson includes: -
Interlinear translations for beginners -
Progressive difficulty levels -
Authentic literary excerpts -
Cultural insights -
Genre-specific vocabulary
For Autodidacts These lessons are specifically designed for self-directed learners who: -
Want to learn at their own pace -
Appreciate detailed grammatical explanations -
Enjoy discovering languages through authentic texts -
Value cultural understanding alongside linguistic competence
Additional Resources -
Visit latinum.substack.com for methodology explanations -
Explore latinum.org.uk for supplementary materials -
Access audio materials at patreon.com/latinum (paid subscription) -
Read reviews at https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
About the Curator Evan der Millner has been creating innovative language learning materials since 2006, drawing on his classical education from Cambridge and his extensive teaching experience. His approach emphasizes the importance of reading authentic texts from the earliest stages of language learning.
The Latinum Institute continues to expand its offerings, providing comprehensive language education for motivated independent learners worldwide.
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