A1
tener — having, and being
The present tense of tener, the expressions where Spanish has what English is, and the tener que construction.
| tengo | I have |
| tienes | you have |
| tiene | he / she has |
| tenemos | we have |
| tenéis | you have (Spain) |
| tienen | they have |
Irregular in the yo form and stem-changing everywhere the stress falls on the stem — see stem-changing verbs.
Tengo dos hermanas.
I-have two sisters
I have two sisters.
States that English is and Spanish has
| tener hambre | to be hungry |
| tener sed | to be thirsty |
| tener frío / calor | to be cold / hot |
| tener miedo | to be afraid |
| tener razón | to be right |
| tener sueño | to be sleepy |
| tener prisa | to be in a hurry |
| tener … años | to be … years old |
Tengo hambre.
I-have hunger
I’m hungry.
Estoy hambre.
Tengo hambre.
Hambre is a noun — hunger. You have it. Estoy hambriento exists and sounds dramatic; tengo hambre is what people say.
Age
Tengo treinta años.
I-have thirty years
I’m thirty.
Años cannot be dropped. Tengo treinta is unfinished.
tener que — to have to
Followed by an infinitive, it is the ordinary way to express obligation.
Tengo que trabajar mañana.
I-have that to-work tomorrow
I have to work tomorrow.
Tengo trabajar mañana.
Tengo que trabajar mañana.
The que is compulsory. Without it the sentence says you possess working, which is nothing at all.
Compare hay que estudiar — see hay — which is the same obligation with nobody in particular carrying it.