Tengo un perro
/tenɡo un pero/from spelling rules
The English phrase "i have a dog" is translated into Spanish as Tengo un perro.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some countries, chucho is used instead of perro to refer to a dog.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the verb tener conjugated in the present indicative first-person singular to express current possession. In Tengo, the subject pronoun yo (I) is omitted because the verb conjugation itself indicates the first-person singular.
Did you know?
- Some linguists believe perro might actually come from an ancient, rhythmic call used to command dogs. This would make the word a linguistic fossil of a sound humans once made to get a dog's attention.
- While English speakers often say 'I am hungry' using the verb 'to be', Spanish speakers use tener (to have) for many physical sensations. This means that to say 'I am hungry', you actually say 'I have hunger'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, the phrase perro can be used as a slang adjective to describe someone who is very skilled or 'slick' in a social or romantic sense.
Examples in context
- Tengo un perro y dos gatos.I have a dog and two cats.This sentence is useful for adding other animals to the list using Tengo un perro.Tatoeba #760156 by Shishir, translation #257247 by CK
- Tengo un perro. Es negro y su nombre es Tiki.I have a dog. He is black and his name is Tiki.This sentence is useful for describing the dog's appearance and name using Tengo un perro.Tatoeba #1992885 by marcelostockle, translation #1460057 by piksea
- Tengo un perro y un gato.I have a dog and a cat.This sentence is useful for mentioning another pet using Tengo un perro.Tatoeba #1286101 by enteka, translation #441581 by CK
- Buenos días, señor. Le quería decir que tengo un perro maravilloso en casa.Good morning, sir. I wanted to tell you that I have a wonderful dog at home.
- ¡Hola, amigos! ¿Sabían que tengo un perro adorable llamado Max?Hi, friends! Did you know I have an adorable dog named Max?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are talking about their pets.
- JavierYo tengo un perro muy grande.I have a very big dog.
- María¿De qué raza es tu perro?What breed is your dog?
- JavierTengo un perro labrador.I have a labrador dog.
- María¡Qué lindo, Javier!How cute, Javier!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries perro, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
