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Study in the app →Spanish · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 7
Tengo un hermano I have a brother
The verb "tener" (to have) is irregular: tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tienen. It is used for possession and family: Tengo un hermano. Family vocabulary with gender: brother/sister, son/daughter, grandfather/grandmother, husband, wife, parents. Remember the right article (un hermano, una hermana). Pronunciation corner: the single "r" and the strong "rr".
Dialogue
Tengo un hermano — I Have a Brother
- Carlos Mike, ¿tienes hermanos? Mike, do you have siblings?
- Mike Sí, tengo una hermano y una hermana. Yes, I have a brother and a sister. (slip: una hermano, should be un)
- Carlos Es "un hermano" — masculino. Yo tengo una hermana. It's "un hermano" — masculine. I have a sister.
- Mike Ah, un hermano y una hermana. ¿Tienes abuelos? Ah, un hermano and una hermana. Do you have grandparents?
Dialogue
Mis abuelos — My Grandparents
- Lucía Tengo dos abuelos y una abuela. ¿Y tú, Mike? I have two grandfathers and one grandmother. And you, Mike?
- Mike Tengo un abuelo y dos abuelas. I have one grandfather and two grandmothers.
- Lucía Mi abuela tiene un marido y tres hijos. My grandmother has a husband and three children.
- Mike Tu familia es grande. Mi familia es pequeña. Your family is big. My family is small.
Vocabulary
| 汉字 | Pinyin | POS | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| tener | v. | to have | |
| tengo | v. | I have | |
| hermano | n.m. | brother (m) | |
| hermana | n.f. | sister (f) | |
| hijo | n.m. | son (m) | |
| hija | n.f. | daughter (f) | |
| abuelo | n.m. | grandfather (m) | |
| abuela | n.f. | grandmother (f) | |
| marido | n.m. | husband (m) | |
| esposa | n.f. | wife (f) | |
| padres | n.m.pl. | parents |
Grammar
El verbo tener The verb tener (to have)
"tener" (to have) es irregular. Sus formas: yo tengo, tú tienes, él/ella tiene, nosotros tenemos, ellos tienen. Nota la "g" en "tengo" y la "ie" en "tienes/tiene". Como el español es de sujeto opcional (pro-drop), "Tengo un hermano" ya significa "I have a brother" sin decir "yo". Usa el artículo que concuerda: un hermano, una hermana.
"tener" (to have) is irregular. Its forms: yo tengo, tú tienes, él/ella tiene, nosotros tenemos, ellos tienen. Note the "g" in "tengo" and the "ie" in "tienes/tiene". Since Spanish is pro-drop, "Tengo un hermano" already means "I have a brother" without saying "yo". Use the agreeing article: un hermano, una hermana.
- Tengo un hermano y una hermana. I have a brother and a sister.
- ¿Tienes hermanos? Do you have siblings?
- Mi madre tiene dos hijos. My mother has two children.
pronunciation
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