When learning Spanish, it is important to understand the differences between the verbs “tener” and “venir”. Both verbs are commonly used, but they have different meanings and uses.
Tener is a verb that means “to have” in English. It is used to express possession or to describe physical or emotional states. For example, “Tengo un perro” means “I have a dog” and “Tengo hambre” means “I am hungry”. Tener is also used to talk about age, as in “Tengo veinte años” meaning “I am twenty years old”.
Venir, on the other hand, means “to come” in English. It is used to indicate movement or change of location. For example, “Vengo del supermercado” means “I come from the supermarket” and “Vengo a visitarte” means “I come to visit you”. Venir is also used in idiomatic expressions such as “Ven conmigo” meaning “Come with me” and “Vengo a decirte algo importante” meaning “I come to tell you something important”.
In summary, to use tener is to possess or describe states, while to use venir is to indicate movement or change of location. Learning how to use these verbs correctly will help you express yourself more accurately in Spanish and improve your overall fluency.
Learn the differences
Tener and venir are two commonly used verbs in Spanish, but they have different meanings and uses.
Tener is used to express possession or ownership. It is also used to indicate age, feelings, and other temporary states. For example:
– Tengo un perro (I have a dog)
– Tiene veinte años (He is twenty years old)
– Tengo hambre (I am hungry)
Venir is used to indicate movement or coming from a place. It is also used to express the idea of future actions or events. For example:
– Vengo de España (I come from Spain)
– Viene a visitarme mañana (He/she is coming to visit me tomorrow)
– Vendrá a la fiesta el sábado (He/she will come to the party on Saturday)
So, to summarize, tener is used to express possession or temporary states, while venir is used to indicate movement or future actions. It is important to understand the differences in order to use them correctly in Spanish.
Between using tener and venir
Tener and venir are two commonly used verbs in the Spanish language. While they may share some similarities, there are also important differences in how they are used.
Tener
Tener is a verb that translates to “to have” in English. It is used to indicate possession or to express various feelings, sensations, or states of being. Tener is also used to express age and to talk about certain physical sensations such as hunger, thirst, or coldness.
When using tener, it is important to remember that it is followed by a noun. For example, “tener un libro” means “to have a book”. Tener is also often used with adjectives to express emotions, such as “tener miedo” (to be afraid) or “tener hambre” (to be hungry).
Venir
Venir, on the other hand, translates to “to come” in English. It is used to indicate movement or to express the act of arriving at a specific location. Venir is also used to express the idea of future actions or events.
When using venir, it is important to remember that it is often followed by a preposition, such as “a” (to) or “de” (from). For example, “venir a la fiesta” means “to come to the party” and “venir de España” means “to come from Spain”.
It is also worth noting that venir is an irregular verb and its conjugation may change depending on the tense and subject pronoun.
In conclusion, while tener and venir both have similar translations in English, they are used in different contexts. Tener is used to express possession, feelings, and physical sensations, while venir is used to express movement, arrival, and future actions.
in Spanish
When learning the Spanish language, it is important to understand the proper use of verbs such as “tener” and “venir.” These two verbs have distinct meanings and contexts in which they are used.
The verb “tener” is used to express the concept of possession or ownership. It is translated to English as “to have.” For example, to say “I have a house” in Spanish, you would say “Yo tengo una casa.” “Tener” is also used to express age, feelings, and other states of being. To say “I am hungry” in Spanish, you would say “Tengo hambre.”
On the other hand, the verb “venir” is used to express the concept of coming or arriving at a place. It is translated to English as “to come.” For example, to say “He is coming to the party” in Spanish, you would say “Él viene a la fiesta.” “Venir” is also used to express the future tense. To say “I will come tomorrow” in Spanish, you would say “Voy a venir mañana.”
| Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| tener | to have | Yo tengo una casa (I have a house) |
| tener | to express age/feelings | Tengo hambre (I am hungry) |
| venir | to come | Él viene a la fiesta (He is coming to the party) |
| venir | to express future tense | Voy a venir mañana (I will come tomorrow) |
Understanding the differences between using “tener” and “venir” is crucial for effective communication in Spanish. Practice using these verbs in different contexts to become more fluent in the language.
Understanding venir
Venir is another common verb in Spanish that is often used in a similar way as tener. However, there are some important differences in their usage.
While tener is used to express possession or to indicate age, venir is used to talk about movement or coming from a place. It is frequently translated as “to come” in English.
Here are a few examples to help you understand when to use venir:
1. To indicate movement: Yo vengo a tu casa mañana. (I am coming to your house tomorrow.)
2. To express origin: Yo vengo de México. (I come from Mexico.)
3. To talk about the future: ¿Vienes al parque conmigo? (Are you coming to the park with me?)
4. To discuss events or situations in progress: Vengo estudiando español desde hace dos años. (I have been studying Spanish for two years.)
It is important to note that venir is an irregular verb, so its conjugation differs from regular verbs. Make sure to study its conjugation charts to ensure correct usage.
Overall, understanding the differences between tener and venir is crucial in order to use them correctly in Spanish. Practice using these verbs in different contexts to become more familiar with their usage.
Tener vs venir in present tense
When learning Spanish, one of the key concepts to understand is the use of the verbs “tener” and “venir” in the present tense.
The verb “tener” is used to express possession or to indicate age. For example, “Tengo un perro” means “I have a dog” or “Tengo veinte años” means “I am twenty years old”.
On the other hand, the verb “venir” is used to indicate movement or arrival. It is commonly translated as “to come”. For instance, “Vengo a la fiesta” means “I am coming to the party” or “Vienen a visitarnos mañana” means “They are coming to visit us tomorrow”.
It is important to note that both “tener” and “venir” are irregular verbs, meaning that they do not follow the regular conjugation patterns in Spanish. Therefore, it is necessary to memorize their conjugation forms.
Here are the present tense conjugations of “tener” and “venir”:
Tener
Yo tengo
Tú tienes
Él/Ella tiene
Nosotros/Nosotras tenemos
Vosotros/Vosotras tenéis
Ellos/Ellas tienen
Venir
Yo vengo
Tú vienes
Él/Ella viene
Nosotros/Nosotras venimos
Vosotros/Vosotras venís
Ellos/Ellas vienen
Overall, the verbs “tener” and “venir” have distinct meanings and uses in Spanish. While “tener” indicates possession or age, “venir” expresses movement or arrival. It is important to correctly use these verbs in order to convey your intended meaning in Spanish.
Tener vs venir in past tense
When it comes to using the past tense, both the verbs “tener” and “venir” have their own specific uses.
Tener is used to indicate possession or to describe a physical or emotional state that someone had in the past. For example:
“Tenía un perro cuando era niño.” – “I had a dog when I was a child.”
“Tenían mucho miedo durante la tormenta.” – “They were very scared during the storm.”
On the other hand, venir is used to indicate movement or to describe someone arriving or coming from a specific place in the past. For example:
“Mis padres vinieron de México hace dos años.” – “My parents came from Mexico two years ago.”
“Vinimos en coche desde el aeropuerto.” – “We came by car from the airport.”
Using “to have” and “to come” in past tense
It is important to understand the differences between the uses of “tener” and “venir” in the past tense in order to use them correctly in Spanish. Just like in English, these verbs have different meanings and serve different purposes. So, make sure to practice using them in context to improve your understanding and fluency in Spanish.
Differences in the infinitive form
When it comes to the infinitive form, there are distinct differences between the verbs “tener” and “venir” in Spanish.
The verb “tener” means “to have” in English and is used to express possession or obligation. It is commonly used to indicate possession of physical or abstract things. For example:
– Tengo un coche. (I have a car.)
– Tienes que estudiar para el examen. (You have to study for the exam.)
On the other hand, the verb “venir” means “to come” in English and is used to indicate movement or arrival. It is commonly used to express the action of traveling from one place to another. For example:
– Vengo de la tienda. (I come from the store.)
– Venimos a visitarte mañana. (We are coming to visit you tomorrow.)
In summary, “tener” is used to talk about possession or obligation, while “venir” is used to talk about movement or arrival. Understanding the differences in their infinitive forms is essential for using these verbs correctly in Spanish.
Expressing possession with tener
In Spanish, the verb “tener” is used to express possession. It is equivalent to the English verb “to have”. We use “tener” when we want to indicate that someone possesses something or has a certain characteristic.
Here’s how to use “tener” when expressing possession:
– We use “tener” followed by the possessive adjective (mi, tu, su, nuestro, vuestro, su) and then the noun that is being possessed. For example: “Tengo mi libro” (I have my book), “Tienes tu coche” (You have your car).
– Unlike in English, in Spanish, the possessive pronoun is not necessary. Instead, we use the possessive adjective to indicate the possession.
– In some cases, we can omit the possessive adjective if the context is clear. For example: “Tengo hambre” (I’m hungry) instead of “Tengo mi hambre”. Here, it is understood that it is my hunger.
– We also use “tener” to express age. For example: “Tienes veinte años” (You are twenty years old), “Tengo treinta años” (I am thirty years old).
Remember that “tener” is an irregular verb, so it has some changes in its conjugation in different persons and tenses. It is important to practice and memorize these changes to use “tener” correctly.
Expressing motion with venir
In Spanish, the verb “venir” is used to express motion, specifically when talking about coming or going to a place. It is similar to the English verb “to come” or “to go”, but there are a few key differences in usage.
1. Use of venir
The verb “venir” is used to indicate movement towards the speaker or the place the speaker is currently located. It is usually accompanied by the preposition “a” followed by the destination or location. For example:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Vengo a la fiesta. | I’m coming to the party. |
| Viene al cine conmigo. | He/she is coming to the movies with me. |
2. Tener vs. venir
While both “tener” (to have) and “venir” (to come) can express possession or ownership, they are used differently. “Tener” is used to indicate possession of objects or characteristics, while “venir” is used to express physical movement or motion. For example:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Tengo un perro. | I have a dog. |
| Vengo del trabajo. | I’m coming from work. |
When expressing possession, use “tener” instead of “venir”.
Overall, knowing how to use “venir” correctly is important when expressing motion or movement towards a certain place in Spanish. It is essential to pay attention to the prepositions and context to ensure accurate communication.
Using tener in expressions of age
In Spanish, the verb tener is commonly used to express someone’s age. This is done by using the phrase “tener + number + years“. For example, if you want to say “I am 25 years old”, you would say “tengo 25 años“.
It’s important to note that in Spanish, we use tener instead of venir when talking about age. This is because the verb venir is used to indicate coming or arriving, while tener is used to express possession or characteristics.
When using tener in expressions of age, you should always use the singular form of the noun “año” (year) following the number. For example, you would say “tengo 30 años” (I am 30 years old), not “tengo 30 año“.
It’s also important to remember that we use the verb tener to express age, not the verb ser (to be). While in English we say “I am 30 years old”, in Spanish we say “tengo 30 años“.
Using venir to indicate future actions
In Spanish, the verb “venir” is commonly used to indicate future actions. This is similar to using the phrase “going to” in English.
When you want to express that you are going to do something in the future, you can use the verb “venir” followed by the preposition “a” and the infinitive form of the verb.
For example:
Voy a estudiar – I am going to study
Vamos a comer – We are going to eat
It’s important to note that “venir” is conjugated depending on the subject pronoun used, while the verb following “a” remains in its infinitive form.
Additionally, the verb “venir” can also be used in the near future to indicate that someone is coming to a specific location.
For example:
Viene al cine a las 8 – He/She is coming to the movie theater at 8
Key Points:
- Use the verb “venir” followed by “a” and the infinitive form of the verb to indicate future actions.
- Conjugate “venir” based on the subject pronoun.
- “Venir” can also be used to indicate someone coming to a specific location in the near future.
By understanding how to use “venir” correctly, you can effectively communicate your future actions and plans in Spanish.
Tener and venir in commands
When giving commands in Spanish, you can use either “venir” or “tener” depending on the context and the specific command you want to give.
- To give a command to someone to come to a certain place, you would use the verb “venir”. For example, if you want to tell someone to come to your house, you would say “Ven a mi casa”.
- On the other hand, if you want to give a command that involves possessing or holding something, you would use the verb “tener”. For example, if you want to tell someone to have a seat, you would say “Tiene un asiento”.
It’s important to note that the conjugation of the verb may change depending on the subject of the command. For example, if you’re giving a command to a group of people, you would use the plural form. If you’re giving a command to a single person, you would use the singular form.
In summary, use “venir” when giving a command to come to a certain place, and use “tener” when giving a command that involves possessing or holding something.
Tener and venir in reflexive verbs
Tener and venir are two important verbs in Spanish that are often used in reflexive verb constructions. Reflexive verbs are verbs that are used with a reflexive pronoun to indicate that the subject is performing the action on itself. The reflexive pronoun is placed before the conjugated form of the verb.
Tener can be used in reflexive verbs to indicate possession or feelings. For example, “tener miedo” means “to be afraid” and “tener hambre” means “to be hungry”. In these cases, the reflexive pronouns “me”, “te”, and “se” are used before the conjugated form of tener, depending on the subject.
Venir, on the other hand, is used in reflexive verbs to indicate movement or a change in location. For example, “venir a casa” means “to come home” and “venir a la fiesta” means “to come to the party”. Just like with tener, the reflexive pronouns “me”, “te”, and “se” are used before the conjugated form of venir, depending on the subject.
When using tener or venir in reflexive verbs, it is important to remember the correct placement of the reflexive pronoun and the conjugated form of the verb. The reflexive pronoun always comes before the conjugated form, and the conjugated form is then followed by the rest of the verb phrase.
Tener vs venir in conditional tense
When it comes to expressing hypothetical or future actions in Spanish, the conditional tense is used. Both tener and venir can be used in the conditional tense, but they have different meanings and uses.
Tener in conditional tense
When tener is used in the conditional tense, it expresses the idea of “would have” or “would possess.” It is often used to talk about hypothetical situations or desires.
For example:
– If I had money, I would buy a new car.
– Si tuviera dinero, compraría un coche nuevo.
Additionally, tener in the conditional tense can be used to express suggestions or recommendations.
For example:
– You should have more patience.
– Deberías tener más paciencia.
Venir in conditional tense
When venir is used in the conditional tense, it expresses the idea of “would come.” It is often used to talk about hypothetical actions or future possibilities.
For example:
– If it rained, I would come inside.
– Si lloviera, vendría adentro.
Furthermore, venir in the conditional tense can be used to express invitations or offers.
For example:
– If you want, you can come to my house.
– Si quieres, puedes venir a mi casa.
In conclusion, while both tener and venir can be used in the conditional tense, they have slightly different meanings and uses. Tener expresses “would have” or “would possess,” while venir expresses “would come.” It is important to understand when to use each verb correctly in order to convey the desired meaning in Spanish.
Tener vs venir in subjunctive mood
When it comes to expressing desires, wishes, doubts, or recommendations, Spanish speakers often use the subjunctive mood. Both the verbs “tener” and “venir” can be used in the subjunctive mood, but they have slightly different meanings and uses.
1. Tener in the subjunctive mood is used to express desires, wishes, or doubts about something happening in the future. For example:
- Espero que tengas un buen viaje. (I hope you have a good trip.)
- Dudo que tenga éxito en ese proyecto. (I doubt he will have success in that project.)
2. Venir in the subjunctive mood is used to express recommendations or requests for someone to come or visit. For example:
- Recomiendo que vengas a la fiesta. (I recommend that you come to the party.)
- Pido que vengan temprano mañana. (I ask them to come early tomorrow.)
Overall, the use of “tener” and “venir” in the subjunctive mood depends on the specific context and the intention of the speaker. It’s important to understand the subtle differences in meaning and usage to accurately convey your thoughts and intentions in Spanish.
Differences in negation
One of the key differences in negation between tener and venir is the word that is used to express negation. When negating a sentence with tener, the word “no” is used before the verb. For example, “No tengo dinero” means “I don’t have money”. On the other hand, when negating a sentence with venir, the word “no” is used after the verb. For example, “Vengo tarde, no” means “I’m not coming late”.
Using tener and venir in questions
When asking questions in Spanish, you can use either tener or venir to indicate possession or origin, respectively. Here are some examples of how to use them:
- To ask about possession, use tener. For example: ¿Tienes un lápiz? (Do you have a pencil?)
- To ask about origin or where something is coming from, use venir. For example: ¿De dónde vienes? (Where are you coming from?)
- However, it’s important to note that when asking a question with venir, you need to use the preposition de followed by the origin. For example: ¿De dónde vienes? (Where are you coming from?)
- Also, when asking a question with tener, you can use the phrase ¿Cuántos años tienes? (How old are you?) to ask about someone’s age.
Remember that both tener and venir can be used in questions to gather information about possession or origin. Practice using these verbs to improve your Spanish speaking skills!
Tener and venir with adverbs
When it comes to using adverbs in Spanish, both tener and venir can be used to express different meanings.
Tener with adverbs
The verb tener is commonly used with adverbs to indicate possession or states of being. Here are a few examples:
- Tener mucho dinero – to have a lot of money
- Tener miedo – to be afraid
- Tener hambre – to be hungry
In these cases, tener is used to express the possession of something or a particular state of being.
Venir with adverbs
The verb venir can also be used with adverbs to express a sense of movement or arrival. Here are some examples:
- Venir rápidamente – to come quickly
- Venir de lejos – to come from far away
- Venir con frecuencia – to come frequently
In these cases, venir is used to indicate the movement or arrival of someone or something.
So, whether you want to express possession or indicate movement, you can use either tener or venir with adverbs to convey your meaning in Spanish.
Using tener and venir with prepositions
Both tener and venir are Spanish verbs that can be used with prepositions to express different meanings.
Using tener with prepositions
Tener is often used with prepositions to express possession or to describe a physical or emotional state.
For example:
- Tener miedo (to be afraid)
- Tener hambre (to be hungry)
- Tener sed (to be thirsty)
- Tener frío (to be cold)
- Tener calor (to be hot)
- Tener sueño (to be sleepy)
When using tener with prepositions, the preposition usually comes after the verb.
Using venir with prepositions
Venir is often used with prepositions to indicate movement from one place to another.
For example:
- Venir de (to come from)
- Venir a (to come to)
- Venir en (to come in)
- Venir con (to come with)
- Venir hacia (to come towards)
When using venir with prepositions, the preposition usually comes before the verb.
It’s important to note that the choice between tener and venir with prepositions depends on the context and the specific meaning you want to convey.
For example, if you want to say “I am coming with my friends,” you would use venir con: “Vengo con mis amigos.”
On the other hand, if you want to say “I have a lot of friends,” you would use tener: “Tengo muchos amigos.”
Therefore, it is crucial to understand the different meanings and uses of tener and venir with prepositions in order to use them correctly in Spanish.
Tener vs venir in participles
When it comes to using the participles of tener and venir in Spanish, there are some key differences to keep in mind. The verb tener is used to express possession or the state of having something, while the verb venir is used to express the action of coming or arriving.
When using the participle form of tener, which is tenido, it is often used in compound tenses such as the perfect tense. For example:
- He tenido suerte – I have had luck
- Hemos tenido problemas – We have had problems
- He tenido un buen día – I have had a good day
On the other hand, the participle form of venir, which is venido, is used in compound tenses to express the action of coming. For example:
- Ha venido a visitarnos – He/she has come to visit us
- Han venido a recoger sus cosas – They have come to pick up their things
- Has venido muy tarde – You have come very late
It’s important to note that the participles tenido and venido can also be used as adjectives. For example:
- Tengo una idea tenida – I have a well-founded idea
- Es una pregunta venida al caso – It’s a relevant question
- Tenemos un problema venido de lejos – We have a long-standing problem
In conclusion, while tener and venir are both verbs used to express different actions, their participles – tenido and venido – have specific uses related to possession or having something and coming or arriving respectively. Understanding these differences will help you use them correctly in Spanish.
Impersonal expressions with tener
In addition to expressing possession or indicating age, the verb “tener” can also be used in impersonal expressions to convey certain feelings or conditions. These expressions are formed by combining the verb “tener” with a noun or adjective.
When to use “tener”
“Tener” is used in impersonal expressions to highlight a particular state or condition that someone or something is experiencing. These expressions are commonly used to talk about feelings, sensations, or states of being in Spanish. Here are some examples:
1. Tener hambre (to be hungry): This expression is used to indicate that someone is feeling hungry.
2. Tener sed (to be thirsty): This expression is used to indicate that someone is feeling thirsty.
3. Tener frío (to be cold): This expression is used to indicate that someone feels cold.
4. Tener calor (to be hot): This expression is used to indicate that someone feels hot.
Note: In these impersonal expressions, the verb “tener” is conjugated according to the subject pronoun that follows it. For example, “tienes hambre” means “you are hungry,” while “tenemos calor” means “we are hot.”
Using “tener” or “venir” to express conditions
While “tener” is commonly used to express conditions or states of being, “venir” can also be used in certain contexts. The key difference is that “tener” emphasizes the condition someone is experiencing, while “venir” emphasizes the action or movement associated with that condition. Here’s an example to illustrate this:
Tengo sueño. (I am sleepy.)
Vengo de dormir. (I come from sleeping.)
In the first sentence, “tener” is used to express the state of being sleepy. In the second sentence, “venir” is used to indicate the action of coming from sleeping. Both verbs convey a similar meaning, but “tener” focuses on the state while “venir” focuses on the action.
Overall, understanding the different uses of “tener” in impersonal expressions will help you accurately convey feelings and conditions in Spanish.
Expressing obligation with tener
When it comes to expressing obligation in Spanish, the verb “tener” is commonly used. Tener is translated as “to have” in English, but in the context of expressing obligation, it takes on a different meaning.
Tener is used to indicate that someone has to or must do something. It is often followed by an infinitive verb to express the action that needs to be done. For example:
Tengo que hacer la tarea. (I have to do the homework.)
Tienes que estudiar para el examen. (You have to study for the exam.)
Tener can also be used with other words to express different levels of obligation:
Tengo que hacerlo. (I have to do it.) – This implies a stronger obligation.
Debo hacerlo. (I should do it.) – This implies a milder obligation.
It is important to note that tener is used to express personal obligation, while venir is used to express obligation from an external source. For example:
Tengo que estudiar. (I have to study.) – Personal obligation.
Vienes a la fiesta. (You have to come to the party.) – Obligation from an external source.
In summary, tener is used to express personal obligation and can be followed by an infinitive verb or other words to indicate different levels of obligation.
Using venir to indicate arrival
In Spanish, the verb “venir” is used to indicate arrival. Unlike “tener”, which means “to have,” “venir” specifically refers to the act of arriving at a location.
To use “venir” correctly, you need to conjugate it according to the subject of the sentence. Here is the conjugation of “venir” in the present tense:
| Subject Pronoun | Conjugation of “venir” |
|---|---|
| Yo | vengo |
| Tú | vienes |
| Él/Ella/Usted | viene |
| Nosotros/Nosotras | venimos |
| Vosotros/Vosotras | venís |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | vienen |
For example, you can use “venir” to say “I am arriving” by saying “Yo vengo”. This verb is commonly used to express the act of arriving somewhere, whether by walking, driving, or any other means of transportation.
It’s important to note that “venir” is not used to indicate possession like “tener”. Instead, “venir” is specifically used when talking about arriving or coming to a place. So, when you want to express possession, use “tener” instead.
Tener vs venir in passive voice
In Spanish, the verbs “tener” and “venir” have distinct uses when it comes to expressing the passive voice. The passive voice is used to indicate that the subject of the sentence is being acted upon, rather than performing the action.
Using “tener” in passive voice
When using “tener” in passive voice, the structure commonly used is “tener + “ser” + past participle”. This construction emphasizes the state or condition of having something done to you or being impacted by something.
- Example: Tengo el libro leído. (I have the book read.)
- Example: Tenemos las ventanas cerradas. (We have the windows closed.)
Here, the subject (“el libro”, “las ventanas”) is being impacted by the action (“leer”, “cerrar”) and the verb “tener” indicates that the subject possesses or experiences that impact.
Using “venir” in passive voice
When using “venir” in passive voice, the structure commonly used is “venir + participio pasado”. This construction emphasizes the action or event that is coming towards the subject and happening to them.
- Example: Viene una tormenta. (A storm is coming.)
- Example: Vienen muchos problemas. (Many problems are coming.)
Here, the subject (“una tormenta”, “muchos problemas”) is not performing the action of coming, but rather the action or event is approaching and impacting the subject.
When to use “tener” or “venir” in the passive voice depends on the emphasis you want to give to the action or the impact on the subject. “Tener” focuses on the state or condition resulting from an action, while “venir” emphasizes the action or event approaching and happening to the subject.
Expressing emotions with tener and venir
In Spanish, there are two verbs that can be used to express emotions: tener and venir. Each verb is used in different situations and conveys a specific meaning.
Tener
The verb tener, which means “to have,” is commonly used to express physical and emotional states. It is used to indicate how a person is feeling or their current emotional state.
For example:
- Tengo hambre – I am hungry
- Tengo sueño – I am tired
- Tengo miedo – I am scared
Additionally, tener is used to express age and possession:
- Tengo veinte años – I am twenty years old
- Tengo una bicicleta – I have a bicycle
Venir
The verb venir, which means “to come,” is used to express an emotion that is elicited by a certain situation or event. It is used to indicate how something makes a person feel.
For example:
- Viene la Navidad – Christmas is coming (and it makes me feel excited)
- Viene mi cumpleaños – My birthday is coming (and it makes me feel happy)
Venir is also used in idiomatic expressions to indicate a certain emotional state:
- Me viene bien – It suits me (and it makes me feel good)
- Me viene mal – It doesn’t suit me (and it makes me feel bad)
It is important to note that while both tener and venir can be used to express emotions, they are used in different contexts and convey slightly different meanings. Understanding the nuances of each verb will help you express your emotions more accurately in Spanish.
Tener and venir in idiomatic expressions
When learning Spanish, it’s important to understand how to use the verbs tener (to have) and venir (to come) in idiomatic expressions. These expressions often have a different meaning than the literal translation of the verbs, so it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with them.
Expressions with tener
Tener is commonly used in idiomatic expressions to indicate possession or states of being. Here are a few examples:
| Tener hambre | To be hungry |
| Tener sed | To be thirsty |
| Tener frío | To be cold |
| Tener calor | To be hot |
Expressions with venir
On the other hand, venir is often used in idiomatic expressions to indicate a change in location or a movement towards a specific place. Here are a few examples:
| Venir de | To come from |
| Venir a | To come to |
| Venir en | To come by/in |
| Venir con | To come with |
Learning the idiomatic expressions with tener and venir will greatly expand your vocabulary and allow you to express yourself more fluently in Spanish. Practice using these expressions in context to master their usage.
Question-answer:
What is the difference between tener and venir in Spanish?
The main difference between tener and venir in Spanish is that tener is used to indicate possession or to express physical and emotional states, while venir is used to indicate movement or location.
Are there any exceptions to the rules of using tener and venir?
Yes, there are a few exceptions. For example, tener can also be used in expressions such as tener ganas de (to feel like) and tener que (to have to). Additionally, venir can also be used in expressions such as venir bien/mal (to come in handy/to be inconvenient).
What is the difference between using “tener” and “venir” in Spanish?
“Tener” and “venir” are two different verbs in Spanish with different meanings. “Tener” means “to have” or “to possess,” while “venir” means “to come.”
When should I use “tener” in a sentence?
You should use “tener” when you want to indicate possession or ownership of something. For example, “Tengo un perro” means “I have a dog.”
Can “tener” be used to express physical sensations?
Yes, “tener” can also be used to express physical sensations. For example, “Tengo hambre” means “I am hungry” and “Tengo frío” means “I am cold.”
When should I use “venir” in a sentence?
You should use “venir” when you want to indicate movement or the act of coming from one place to another. For example, “Vengo de la tienda” means “I come from the store.”