avoir un exam?

L. E.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

avoir un exam?

Is "avoir un exam" an idiom for passing an exam? Just wondering about the translation for one of the example sentences. I was thinking to pass the exam might be more like "Je veux que vous reussissiez tous votre examen?" and that the sentence above using avoir is referring to all taking or having exams? Merci pour l'aide !
Asked 7 years ago
GruffKwiziq team member
Salut Lisa,

Yes, "avoir un examen" is more likely to be understood as meaning "to pass an exam" than "to take an exam". There's more about that in these lessons:
Avoir un exam = To pass an exam (French Expressions with avoir)">Avoir un exam = To pass an exam (French Expressions with avoir)">Avoir un exam = To pass an exam (French Expressions with avoir)">Avoir un exam = To pass an exam (French Expressions with avoir)

Differences between French and English usages - Passer un exam vs To pass an exam">Differences between French and English usages - Passer un exam vs To pass an exam">Differences between French and English usages - Passer un exam vs To pass an exam">Differences between French and English usages - Passer un exam vs To pass an exam

In the case of exams, I find it more intuitive to think of "avoir" meaning "to get" rather than "to have", and the exam as a credential or certificate.

Hope that helps!
L. E. asked:View original

avoir un exam?

Is "avoir un exam" an idiom for passing an exam? Just wondering about the translation for one of the example sentences. I was thinking to pass the exam might be more like "Je veux que vous reussissiez tous votre examen?" and that the sentence above using avoir is referring to all taking or having exams? Merci pour l'aide !

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