tengo un teléfono
/tenɡo un telefono/from spelling rules
tengo un teléfono is the Spanish way to say "I have a phone".
This phrase is a direct statement used to express ownership of a telephone.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of tengo (I have), un (a) and teléfono (phone).
Which one should you use?
While tengo un teléfono is a general way to say you have a phone, you may use different nouns depending on the type of phone or the region you are in.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, it is more common to use móvil instead of teléfono when referring to a mobile phone, such as in the phrase tengo un móvil. In most parts of Latin America, celular is the standard word for a mobile phone, such as in tengo un celular.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb tengo is the first-person singular present indicative of tener (to have).
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the verb tener is used to express not just possession but also physical sensations. For example, instead of saying 'I am hungry', a speaker says tengo hambre, which literally means 'I have hunger'.
- Spanish speakers often omit the word un (a) when talking about their phone in a way that would sound incorrect in English. Saying tengo teléfono can imply the general state of having phone access rather than possessing a single device.
- The word teléfono is a hybrid of two Ancient Greek roots: têle, meaning 'far off' and phōnḗ, meaning 'voice' or 'sound'.
Examples in context
- Tengo un teléfono.I have a phone.This sentence shows how to use tengo un teléfono.Tatoeba #13709368 by ecorralest101, translation #13709367 by frpzzd
- Tengo un teléfono nuevo que compré ayer.I have a new phone that I bought yesterday.
- Tengo un teléfono nuevo.I have a new phone.
- Por suerte, tengo un teléfono aquí.Luckily, I have a phone here.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are discussing how to call a taxi.
- LucíaMateo, ¿puedes llamar al taxi?Mateo, can you call the taxi?
- MateoNo puedo, no tengo un teléfono ahora.I can't, I don't have a phone right now.
- LucíaEstá bien, yo tengo un teléfono.That's okay, I have a phone.
- MateoGracias, Lucía.Thank you, Lucía.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries teléfono, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
