Spanish 1 / Unit 6: Estar, Tener and Ir
6.5 Expressions with Tener
Notes
Spanish uses tener where English often uses "to be."
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| tener hambre | to be hungry |
| tener sed | to be thirsty |
| tener frío / calor | to be cold / hot |
| tener sueño | to be sleepy |
| tener miedo (de) | to be afraid (of) |
| tener prisa | to be in a hurry |
| tener razón | to be right |
| tener suerte | to be lucky |
| tener ___ años | to be ___ years old |
| tener que + infinitive | to have to (do something) |
| tener ganas de + infinitive | to feel like (doing something) |
- Use mucho/mucha for "very": Tengo mucha hambre (hambre is feminine), Tengo mucho frío.
- Example: Tengo que estudiar, pero tengo ganas de mirar la tele.
Practice
You haven't eaten all day. What do you say?
Tener hambre = to be hungry.
How do you say "I am fifteen years old"?
Age uses tener. Años needs the ñ; anos is a different word.
What does "Tenemos que llegar temprano" mean?
Tener que + infinitive = to have to.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 6 test.