Idiomatic+Expressions+with+Tener

Expressions!


 * (video lesson at bottom) **

An idiom is an expression that cannot be immediately understood by analyzing its literal meaning. A few examples of idioms in English are: > to be "on the go" > to "play the field" > to "jump the gun"

Spanish also has many idiomatic expressions. Although their literal translations sound odd to English speakers, they sound perfectly natural to native speakers. Here is one example: > **Idiom:** Hace mucho frío > **Literally:** It makes much cold > **True Meaning:** It is very cold

There are many idiomatic expressions that use the verb tener. This one expresses age: > **Idiom:** tener _ años > **Literally:** to have _ years > **True Meaning:** to be _ years old

Many other expressions using tener express physical sensations: tener frio to be cold tener calor to be hot tener hambre <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be hungry <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener sed <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be thirsty <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener sueño <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be sleepy <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener dolor de <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to hurt or be sore, etc.

<span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">There are also many idiomatic expressions with tener that express sensations more psychological in nature: <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener prisa <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be in a hurry <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener miedo a/de + noun <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be afraid of something <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener miedo a/de + infinitive <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be afraid to do something <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener celos <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be jealous <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener confianza <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be confident <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener cuidado <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be careful <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener vergüenza <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be ashamed

<span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">There are other idiomatic expressions with tener as well: <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener razón <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be right <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener éxito <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be successful <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener la culpa <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be guilty <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener suerte <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to be lucky <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener lugar <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to take place <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener ganas de <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to feel like <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.35em;">tener en cuenta <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0px; outline-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0.75em 2em;">to take into account

<span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">When using these idiomatic expressions, conjugate the verb (tener) according to the subject of the sentence. > <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">Yo **tengo** cinco años. > Tú **tienes** ocho años. > Pablo **tiene** dos años.

<span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">Notice that the expressions combine the verb tener with a noun:
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">el año
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">los celos
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">el frío
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">la confianza
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">el calor
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">el cuidado
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">el hambre
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">la vergüenza
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">la sed
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">la razón
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">el sueño
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">el éxito
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">el dolor
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">la culpa
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">la prisa
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">la suerte
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">el miedo
 * <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.1em; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">el lugar

<span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">Because the expressions with tener use nouns, they are modified with adjectives, not adverbs. > <span style="font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; outline-style: none; padding: 0px;">Tengo frío. > Tengo **mucho** frío. (**not** muy)

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