N'avait (en. Hadn't)

/nʌvɛ/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench

verb

Indicates possession or a characteristic at a past moment.

He had no money at the time.

Il n'avait pas d'argent à l'époque.

Used to express a condition or situation that is no longer true.

She had never imagined that this would happen.

Elle n'avait jamais imaginé que cela arriverait.

Used to signal an absence.

He had no idea about the situation.

Il n'avait aucune idée de la situation.

Origin of the verb 'to have', deriving from the Latin 'habere'.

didn't care at all

indicates that a person does not care at all about a situation.

n'en avait rien à faire

had no choice

means that a person was forced to do something.

n'avait pas le choix

had no solution

indicates that there was no answer or means to solve a problem.

n'avait pas de solution

to have

verb used to express possession.

avoir

to possess

to have something in one's own property.

posséder

to hold

to have something in one's possession.

détenir

Used to say that someone was in distress.

He looked like he had nothing in his pocket.

Il avait l'air de n'avoir rien en poche.

Expressed in a context of disappointment.

When she heard the news, she said she didn't give a damn.

Quand elle a appris la nouvelle, elle disait qu'elle n'avait rien à foutre.