Saying your age in Spanish
In Spanish, we use the verb tener (to have) to talk about age. To say I am [number] years old, we use tengo + [number of years] + años.
Read and listen to these sentences:
Asking someone's age in Spanish
To ask how old someone is, you can use either the informal tú form (tienes), or the formal usted form (tiene). You're literally asking How many years do you have?
Unlike English, note that:
1. you cannot omit años in this expression.
2. we never use the verbs ser or estar (to be) to talk about age.
1. you cannot omit años in this expression.
2. we never use the verbs ser or estar (to be) to talk about age.
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Examples and resources
Saying your age in Spanish: Tener [número] años = To be [number] years old
Very helpful. This is making my Spanish progress so faster!
Very helpful. This is making my Spanish progress so faster!
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Must the formal include the article?
Hola Susan
While it is a common practice to include the subject pronoun "usted" for formality in formal Spanish, it is not strictly compulsory. "¿Cuántos años tiene?" is grammatically correct and can be used without "usted", but the inclusion of "usted" is often seen as a polite and respectful choice in formal situations.
Un saludo
Silvia
Must the formal include the article?
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Tu / Usted
When would be appropriate to use formal and informal second person?
For context, I'm planning to speak mostly with my Mexican family members, many that I'll be meeting for the first time or for the first time in many years. Most of them are older than me (I have one younger brother who speaks mostly Spanish). Would it be better to speak formally to the older family members, or informally because they're family?
Would you start formally with strangers (esp. those who are older) and then at some point be able to drop formality as you become closer to people, or as they express to you that it's okay (similar to Korean and Japanese)?
Hola Diana
The formality with usted is subjective and it often depends on each person, each family, each region... I would suggest exactly what you said, starting formally with strangers, those you've never met and are elderly, and then you'll see if/how they themselves drop the formality or ask you to say "tú" instead.
Saludos
Tu / Usted
When would be appropriate to use formal and informal second person?
For context, I'm planning to speak mostly with my Mexican family members, many that I'll be meeting for the first time or for the first time in many years. Most of them are older than me (I have one younger brother who speaks mostly Spanish). Would it be better to speak formally to the older family members, or informally because they're family?
Would you start formally with strangers (esp. those who are older) and then at some point be able to drop formality as you become closer to people, or as they express to you that it's okay (similar to Korean and Japanese)?
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tengo / estoy-soy
please help me understand why we use tengo/tiene and not estoy-soy.
Hola Jookie
In Spanish we simply express our age by saying literally "I have ... years", instead of saying "I am ... years old." - Some structures don't coincide in English and Spanish and this is one of them.
Saludos
tengo / estoy-soy
please help me understand why we use tengo/tiene and not estoy-soy.
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Tiene v Tengo
Cuántos años tiene usted? - ________sesenta años. How old are you? - I am sixty.TengoTiene
Hola Becky
It's "tengo" because that is the answer that the person gives to the first one who is asking:
¿Cuántos años tiene usted?
Then you answer to that: I am 60.
Tengo 60 años.
I hope it clarified it.
Saludos
Tiene v Tengo
Cuántos años tiene usted? - ________sesenta años. How old are you? - I am sixty.TengoTiene
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isimo can either these suffix be used in a context of any sentence
If isimo or ito or mente is used can either be used for these words as a suffixes.
If any one can inform
Hola Pinky
Can you be a bit more specific? What do you mean by using these suffixes in a context of any sentence? They are three different suffixed with different functions.
Saludos
isimo can either these suffix be used in a context of any sentence
If isimo or ito or mente is used can either be used for these words as a suffixes.
If any one can inform
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Tengo yo
In the test, the answer was wrong. But, grammatically, Yo tengo and tengo should be accepted as correct!
Please can you check why this was marked incorrect!!!
Hola Pinky
I checked and the system is also admitting as a correct answer "Yo tengo...", with the pronoun. I think the system gave your answer as incorrect because you mispelled "cincuenta años" (your answer being "Yo tengo cincueta anos"
I hope it clarified it.
Saludos
Tengo yo
In the test, the answer was wrong. But, grammatically, Yo tengo and tengo should be accepted as correct!
Please can you check why this was marked incorrect!!!
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Capitalisation in the test
Hello! I wrote: 'tengo viente años' to say that I'm 20 years old. It marked me as incorrect, but the only difference I can see between my answer and the correct one is capitalisation. Is there something I'm missing?
Hola Ruby
You wouldn't have been marked wrong for the capitalisation. It is the wrong spelling of the number 20. It should be "veinte", not "viente".
Saludos
Inma
Capitalisation in the test
Hello! I wrote: 'tengo viente años' to say that I'm 20 years old. It marked me as incorrect, but the only difference I can see between my answer and the correct one is capitalisation. Is there something I'm missing?
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Explain what is formal and unformal
Explain formal and informal
Hola Jane
Here is a lesson explaining informal you (tú) and formal you (usted).
Saludos
Inma
Explain what is formal and unformal
Explain formal and informal
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numbers as adjectives
on the test, the "correct" result was "tengo cincuentos años".
Do numbers change according to the noun they are adjectives of?
Hola Kaly,
I think you misread the sentence. It is saying:
¿Cuántos años tiene usted? - ___ cincuenta años. (How old are you? - I am fifty years old.)
You don't add -s at the end of the numbers to make it match with the plural noun (in this case "años"). It is already a plural adjective.
This lesson is dealing with this. Have a look here.
Saludos,
Inma
numbers as adjectives
on the test, the "correct" result was "tengo cincuentos años".
Do numbers change according to the noun they are adjectives of?
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More examples
How can I get more examples regarding one lesson??
Hola Abdullah,
yes you can; which lesson are you referring to?
Inma
I do not have access to accent marks or tildes!
More examples
How can I get more examples regarding one lesson??
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when do you include "Y" between parts of a number?
when do you include "Y" between parts of a number? One speaker uses it and the other does not. Vente seis anos vs. cinquenta y siete anos
Hola Li
We include "y" from 31st (included) onwards. Here is a list with numbers 1 to 50 that will help.
Numbers 1-50
Note that the "y" can only be placed between the tens and the units of a number. For example:
but not
Saludos
Inma
Starting from 30s you'll add the "y"
when do you include "Y" between parts of a number?
when do you include "Y" between parts of a number? One speaker uses it and the other does not. Vente seis anos vs. cinquenta y siete anos
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why i never reach 100% is there something i supposed to do rather than answering the 2 questions?
Hi Ahmed - yes, the kwizzes at the end of each lesson are just 'tasters' - they don't test everything available in the lesson.
If you kwiz against your dashboard recommended studylist, or a particular level, or create your own notebook and kwiz against that then Kwizbot will ensure you work through everything available and you will be able to score higher.
Hope that helps!
why i never reach 100% is there something i supposed to do rather than answering the 2 questions?
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