Tener queAND Idioms with
Tener
Tener que + infinitive
is one way to express obligation or necessity.
This expression can be translated as
"someone has to do something."
Tener is conjugated according to the
subject of the sentence.
Tengo que comer las verduras.
I have to eat the vegetables.
Ángel tiene que leer el periódico.
Ángel has to read the newspaper.
Ellos tienen que comprar una revista.
They have to buy a magazine.
Hay un examen.
Nosotros tenemos que estudiar.
Usted aprende el español.
Usted tiene que practicar mucho.
Bill está en España.
Bill tiene que hablar español.
No hay carro.
Tienes que tomar un taxi.
Idiomatic expressions with tener
An idiom is a group of words which, when used together, has a different meaning from the one which the individual words have. For example:
- How do you know about John's illness?
- Oh, I heard it on the grapevine.
When using these idiomatic expressions, conjugate the verb (tener) according to the
subject of the sentence. Yo tengo cinco
años.
Tú tienes ocho años.
PiPi tiene dos años.
There are many idiomatic expressions that use the verb tener. This oneexpresses age:
Idiom: tener _____ años
Literally: to have _____ years
True Meaning: to be _____ years old
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
calor.
Literally: It makes much heat.
True Meaning: It is very hot.
Many other expressions using tener
express physical sensations. tener fríoto be cold
tener calorto be hot
tener hambreto be hungry
tener sedto be thirsty
tener sueñoto be sleepy