01 / 08
What you have
Ho un biglietto.
oh oon bee-LYET-toh
I have a ticket.
Hai tempo?
Do you have time?
Avere means to have. The h is silent in ho, hai, ha and hanno.
02 / 08
He, she and polite you
Ha una macchina.
He / she has a car.
Ha una prenotazione?
Do you have a reservation? (polite)
Ha works for he, she and polite Lei. Context usually makes the subject clear.
03 / 08
We, you all and they
Abbiamo un tavolo.
We have a table.
Avete tempo? / Hanno tempo.
Do you all have time? / They have time.
Use abbiamo, avete and hanno for these three groups. Hanno sounds the same as anno, year, but has a different meaning.
04 / 08
Hunger and thirst
Ho fame.
oh FAH-meh
I’m hungry.
Ho sete.
oh SEH-teh
I’m thirsty.
Italian uses have here, not be. Learn ho fame and ho sete as everyday chunks.
05 / 08
Temperature
Ho freddo.
I’m cold.
Ho caldo.
I’m hot.
These phrases describe how you feel. The weather uses fa caldo or fa freddo, which comes later.
06 / 08
Sleep and hurry
Ho sonno.
oh SON-noh
I’m sleepy.
Ho fretta.
I’m in a hurry.
The same verb supports several useful needs. You do not need an article before these nouns.
07 / 08
Your age
Ho trent’anni.
I’m thirty years old.
Quanti anni hai?
How old are you? (informal)
Italian says have years. Trent’anni contracts trenta and anni; keep the apostrophe.
Remember this
Takeaway
Abbiamo fame. Avete un tavolo?
We’re hungry. Do you have a table?
Ho, hai, ha, abbiamo, avete, hanno change with the person. For hunger, thirst and age, remember avere.