Tengo catorce años
/tenɡo katoɾθe aɲos/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I am fourteen" is translated into Spanish as Tengo catorce años.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'I have fourteen years'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using this phrase, the verb Tengo (from tener) must be conjugated in the first person singular to match the subject 'I'.
How do you pronounce it?
/tenɡo katoɾθe aɲos/
Did you know?
- The Spanish phrase tengo catorce años follows a pattern used for other life milestones, such as tener hambre for 'being hungry' or tener miedo for 'being afraid'.
- The word catorce shares an ancestral root with the English word 'quartet' through the Latin 'quattuor' for the number four.
- The pronunciation of the 'c' in catorce differs between Spain and Latin America, sounding like a 'th' in most of Spain and like an 's' in the Americas.
Examples in context
- Tengo catorce años y me gusta tocar la guitarra.I am fourteen years old, and I enjoy playing the guitar.
- Todavía tengo catorce años.I am still fourteen years old.
- No es verdad, tengo catorce años.It is not true, I am fourteen.
Example conversation
Two students are meeting for the first time at school.
- Daniel¿Cuántos años tienes, Lucía?How old are you, Lucía?
- LucíaTengo catorce años, ¿y tú?I am fourteen, and you?
- DanielYo también tengo catorce años.I am fourteen too.
- Lucía¡Qué bien! Somos de la misma edad.That's great! We are the same age.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries catorce, CC BY-SA 4.0.
