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How to Say ‘I had’ in French

J'ai mangé

zhay ay mahn-ZHAH

[zhay ay mahn-ZHAH]

💬 Usage Tip: French often uses [avoir] plus a past form where English uses the simple past: [j'ai mangé] = "I ate" or "I had something to eat." You'll see the same pattern in [j'ai lu] and [j'ai marché].

Phrase Breakdown

J'

[zhay]

I

Refers to oneself.

Example

J'ai mangé une pomme pour le goûter.

I ate an apple for a snack.

ai

[ay]

have

Used to express possession or completion.

Example

J'ai mangé un sandwich.

I have eaten a sandwich.

mangé

[mahn-ZHAH]

eaten

Past participle of consume.

Example

J'ai mangé déjà.

I have already eaten.

Related guides

French Conversation for Beginners: 5 Everyday Dialogues You'll Actually UseFive short French conversations for beginners, from greeting a neighbour to booking a restaurant, with translations, native audio and the phrases that keep them going.“Do You Speak English?” in French, and What to Say When You Don't Speak FrenchHow to say “do you speak English?” in French politely, what you'll hear back, and the phrases for “I don't speak French” and “can you repeat that?”, with audio.

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