What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "Do you have a sister?", where tienes is the second-person singular conjugation of the verb tener (to have).
Which one should you use?
While ¿Tienes una hermana? is a standard way to ask, you may see other variations. ¿Tienes hermana? is a more direct, informal way to ask and ¿Tienes alguna hermana? translates more closely to "Do you have any sister?"
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, ¿Tienes hermana? is a common and informal way to ask this question. In Spain, the informal version ¿Tienes alguna hermana? is frequently used.
How does it change in a sentence?
When moving from an informal to a formal tone, change the verb from the second-person singular tienes to the third-person singular tiene.
When do people say it?
If someone asks you this question, a natural way to answer in the affirmative is Sí, tengo una hermana and a natural way to answer in the negative is No, no tengo hermanas.
Did you know?
- While tienes means 'you have', the verb tener is also used in Spanish to express feelings like hunger, thirst or cold, such as tengo frío.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking about siblings is a common way to build 'confianza', or a sense of trust and closeness, during an initial conversation.
- The word hermana shares an ancient root with the English word 'germane', which relates to being closely related or belonging to the same lineage.
Examples in context
- Lucía, ¿tienes una hermana?Do you have a sister, Lucia?This sentence shows how to use ¿Tienes una hermana? when addressing someone by name.Tatoeba #1071855 by Shishir, translation #773478 by marloncori
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are talking about their families.
- MateoElena, ¿tienes una hermana?Elena, do you have a sister?
- ElenaSí, tengo una hermana pequeña.Yes, I have a little sister.
- Mateo¿Cómo se llama ella?What is her name?
- ElenaSe llama Sofía.Her name is Sofía.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hermana, una, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
