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How to Say ‘I had’ in French

J'ai fait

zh eh feh

[zh eh feh]

💬 Usage Tip: French often uses [faire] where English uses a more specific verb. So [faire un pique-nique] means to have a picnic, just like [faire du sport] means to do sport.

Phrase Breakdown

J'

[zh]

I

Subject pronoun for oneself.

Example

J'aime lire.

I like reading.

ai

[eh]

have

First person singular of 'to have'.

Example

J'ai un chat.

I have a cat.

fait

[feh]

done

The past participle of 'to do'.

Example

J'ai déjà fait ça.

I have already done that.

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.The Best App to Learn French: An Honest ComparisonDuolingo, Babbel, Pimsleur, Busuu, italki and PrettyFluent compared for learning French: what each is best at, how you pay, and which fits your goal.

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