Tener queAND Idioms with

Tener

Tener que + infinitive

is one way to express obligation or necessity.

This expression can be translated as

"someone has to do something."

Tener is conjugated according to the

subject of the sentence.

Tengo que comer las verduras.

I have to eat the vegetables.

Ángel tiene que leer el periódico.

Ángel has to read the newspaper.

Ellos tienen que comprar una revista.

They have to buy a magazine.

Hay un examen.

Nosotros tenemos que estudiar.

Usted aprende el español.

Usted tiene que practicar mucho.

Bill está en España.

Bill tiene que hablar español.

No hay carro.

Tienes que tomar un taxi.

Idiomatic expressions with tener

An idiom is a group of words which, when used together, has a different meaning from the one which the individual words have. For example:

- How do you know about John's illness?

- Oh, I heard it on the grapevine.

When using these idiomatic expressions, conjugate the verb (tener) according to the

subject of the sentence. Yo tengo cinco

años.

Tú tienes ocho años.

PiPi tiene dos años.

There are many idiomatic expressions that use the verb tener. This oneexpresses age:

Idiom: tener _____ años

Literally: to have _____ years

True Meaning: to be _____ years old

Spanish also has many idiomatic expressions.

Although their literal translations sound odd to

English speakers, they sound perfectly natural

to native speakers. Here is one example: Idiom: Hace mucho

calor.

Literally: It makes much heat.

True Meaning: It is very hot.

Many other expressions using tener

express physical sensations. tener fríoto be cold

tener calorto be hot

tener hambreto be hungry

tener sedto be thirsty

tener sueñoto be sleepy