tengo… años
To say "I am blank years old" in Spanish, use tengo… años.
This phrase is used to state your current age. Unlike English, which uses the verb "to be", Spanish uses the verb for "to have" to express how many years you possess.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "I have… years". The word tengo is the first-person singular form of the verb tener, meaning "I have".
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying soy… años. English speakers often mistakenly use the verb ser (to be) instead of tener (to have) when stating age, but in Spanish, you must use tener.
Did you know?
- While tengo… años is for your current age, the phrase cumplir años is used for the act of having a birthday. It literally means 'to complete years', treating a birthday as the completion of a cycle.
- Because the verb tener is used for age, it is also used for internal sensations like tener hambre for 'to be hungry' or tener sed for 'to be thirsty'.
- In Spanish, you do not 'are' an age, you 'possess' it. Because you use tener, you can also use the phrase to say you 'have' certain physical characteristics, like hair or eyes, which feels very different to an English speaker.
Examples in context
- Tengo 25 años.I am 25 years old.
- Tengo 18 años.I am 18 years old.
- Tengo 50 años.I am 50 years old.
- Tengo veinte años.I am twenty years old.
