tengo
/tenɡo/from spelling rules
tengo is the Spanish way to say "I have".
tengo is used to express possession or to hold something. It is also used to express physical sensations such as hunger, thirst or feeling cold, whereas English speakers would use the verb "to be" in these cases. Additionally, the phrase Tengo ganas de is a common way to informally express that you feel like doing something or have a desire to do something.
How does it change in a sentence?
tengo is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb tener.
How do you pronounce it?
/tenɡo/
Did you know?
- To express that you are cold or hot, you say tengo frío or tengo calor. If you used the verb 'to be' estoy frío instead, it could imply that your skin is cold to the touch or that you are dead.
- The word tengo is a linguistic relic called a suppletive form. It descends from a different Latin root than the rest of the verb tener, which is why its stem looks so different from the others.
- The expression tengo razón means 'I am right', but literally translates to 'I have reason'. It suggests that the speaker possesses the correct logic or justification for their claim.
Examples in context
- tengo ganas de comerI feel like eating
- Me siento felizI feel happy
- tengo una preguntaI have a question
- tengo un problemaI have a problem
- Tengo un libro nuevo.I have a new book.
- Tengo muchas llaves en mi bolso.I have many keys in my bag.
- ¿Tengo yo la razón?Am I right?
Example conversation
At home, Daniel is looking for his phone.
- MaríaDaniel, ¿tienes mi teléfono?Daniel, do you have my phone?
- DanielNo, pero tengo tu cartera.No, but I have your wallet.
- María¡Qué suerte! Tengo mucha suerte hoy.How lucky! I am very lucky today.
- DanielSí, María, tienes mucha suerte.Yes, María, you are very lucky.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
