When "to be" means "tener" in Spanish | A Coffee Break with Pablo

Summary

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Coffee Break Spanish: When "to be" means "tener" in Spanish | A Coffee Break with Pablo

Host: Pablo
Podcast: Coffee Break Languages
Date: December 11, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this bite-sized lesson, Pablo explores a common point of confusion for English speakers learning Spanish—the use of the verb "tener" (“to have”) where in English, we’d use "to be" in expressions about physical states or feelings. Through entertaining examples, mini translation challenges, and practical tips, Pablo helps listeners grasp these essential expressions, making everyday Spanish sound more natural.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction & Spark for the Lesson

[01:33]

• Pablo explains that the cold Scottish winter inspired the topic.

• A Spanish friend visiting Glasgow mistakenly said in English, “I have cold” (from Spanish, tengo frío), instead of “I am cold.”

• This highlights how Spanish uses tener + noun for states where English uses “to be.”

  "Lo que pasó es que tradujo directamente del español 'tengo frío', which literally means 'I have cold.'"
  — Pablo [01:59]

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2. Key Expressions using "tener"

[03:06]–[04:56]
Pablo breaks down several common expressions:

• Estoy frío/calor: Incorrect in Spanish!
  Use tengo frío (“I am cold”), tengo calor (“I am hot”).

• Tengo hambre – “I am hungry”

• Tienes hambre? – “Are you hungry?”

• Tengo sed – “I am thirsty”

• Tengo miedo – “I am scared” (“I have fear”)

• Tengo razón – “I am right”

• Tienes razón? – “Are you right?” / “Are you correct?”

• Tengo suerte – “I am lucky”

• Tiene mucha suerte – “He/She is very lucky”

• Tengo sueño – “I am sleepy”

• Tengo cuidado – “I am careful”

• Ten cuidado / Tenga cuidado – “Be careful” (familiar/formal)

  "In Spanish, we don’t say things like to be cold, to be hungry, to be scared, and so on. Instead, we use 'tener' followed by a noun."
  — Pablo [02:37]

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3. Practical Translation Challenge

[05:29]–[08:05]
Pablo leads listeners in a translation exercise. He says a phrase in English and challenges listeners to translate it using the correct "tener" expression in Spanish.

• “I’m cold this morning because the house is very cold.”

  • Tengo frío esta mañana porque la casa está muy fría.
    ([05:56])

• “My sister is sleepy after working all night.”

  • Mi hermana tiene sueño después de trabajar toda la noche.
    ([06:26])

• “We are hungry after skiing.”

  • Tenemos hambre después de esquiar.
    (Not included in transcript but follows challenge pattern)

• “Be careful. The road is frozen.”

  • Ten cuidado. La carretera está congelada.
  • Tenga cuidado, la carretera está congelada.
    ([07:18])

• “The children are scared with this film.”

  • Los niños tienen miedo con esta película.
    (Not fully transcribed, but pattern follows)

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4. Summary of the Lesson

[08:05]–[09:21]

• Recap of all “tener” expressions covered.

• Emphasizes the importance of using “tener” in these everyday scenarios instead of “ser” or “estar”.

• Resources for further practice on Coffee Break TV.

  "Many everyday expressions that use the verb to be in English are formed with 'tener' to have in Spanish..."
  — Pablo [08:08]

  Expressions reviewed:

  • tener frío (to be cold)
  • tener calor (to be hot)
  • tener hambre (to be hungry)
  • tener miedo (to be scared)
  • tener razón (to be right)
  • tener suerte (to be lucky)
  • tener sueño (to be sleepy)
  • tener cuidado (to be careful)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On direct translation pitfalls:

  "What she meant was 'I am cold,' because it was really freezing in Glasgow that day. Lo que pasó es que tradujo directamente del español 'tengo frío', which literally means 'I have cold.'"
  — Pablo [01:59]

• On the importance of 'tener' in key phrases:

  "In Spanish, we don't say things like 'to be cold', 'to be hungry', 'to be scared', and so on. Instead, we use 'tener' followed by a noun."
  — Pablo [02:37]

• On giving commands:

  "But if you want to say 'be careful' to someone else, then you would say 'ten cuidado'. Or more formal, using the usted form, 'tenga cuidado', muy bien."
  — Pablo [04:56]

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Time-stamped Highlights

• [01:33] — Pablo introduces the topic inspired by a friend's English-Spanish mix-up.
• [03:06] — List of common “to be” phrases that use “tener” in Spanish (“cold”, “hot”, “hungry”, etc.).
• [05:29] — Practical translation challenge for listeners.
• [07:18] — Demonstrates giving instructions: “Be careful. The road is frozen.”
• [08:05] — Recap and summary of all key expressions.
• [09:21] — Sign-off and wish for good luck with Spanish studies.

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Takeaways

• Many expressions about feelings or conditions use “tener” in Spanish, not “ser” or “estar.”
• Practicing with translation exercises helps internalize these differences.
• Using the right verb helps you sound much more natural and fluent in everyday Spanish.

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Further Practice

Pablo encourages listeners to practice more with translation challenges and videos on CoffeeBreakTV.com or the Coffee Break TV app.

Closing encouragement:

"Muchísimas gracias por escucharnos y por supuesto muchísima suerte con tu aprendizaje."
— Pablo [09:21]

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Transcript

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[D]

Hola. Buenas. Que tal? Soy Pablo. The coffee break. Spanish Yoyo y es miturno de tomarme un pequeno cafe contigo. Bueno. I hope you're keeping warm. Winter has definitely arrived in Scotland, and all this cold weather actually inspired today's mini lesson. Preparate porque empezamos.

Elotro dia una amiga espanola me visito en Glasgow. Salimos hacenar con algunos amigos escoses y cuando estavamos fuera el acaye. She said in English, I have cold. This made me smile a lot because of course what she meant was I am cold because it was really freezing in Glasgow that day. Lo que paso esque tradujo directamente del espanol tengo frio, which literally means I have cold. So that moment reminded me of how many everyday expressions in Spanish use tenerife to have when they use the verb to be in English. Hacique preparate porque a continuation. Vamos aver unas cuantas espressiones. So, in Spanish, we don't say things like to be cold, to be hungry, to be scared, and so on. Instead, we use tener followed by a noun.

So let's start. When you are feeling cold, instead of saying I am cold in Spanish, you'll need the verb to have tengo frio. If you were feeling hot, instead, you would say, tengo calor muy bien. So tengo frio o tengo calor. I'm cold or I'm hot. If you're feeling hungry like me all the time, to be honest, you are going to need the verb to have in Spanish too. So you would say tengo ambre. So? So, for example, if you want to ask someone if they are hungry, you would say, tienes hambre. Similarly, to say I'm thirsty, you would say, tengo sed. Okay, so we've seen tengo frio, tengo calor, tengo ambre y tengo sed. Let's continue. Imagine you're watching a scary movie and you want to say, I'm scared. Then you would say tengo miedo. Literally, I have fear. La sigente es muy importante. Now, if you want to say I'm right, you would say tengo razon. Or if you want to say that someone else is right, you would say, tienes razon? What about I'm lucky? Pues en donces dirias, tengo suerte. O he or she is very lucky. Tiene mucha suerte muy bien. Ento tesa horaemos bisto. Tengo miedo, tengo razon y tengo suerte. Let's see. Two more. What if you want to say I'm sleepy in Spanish? Una pista necesitamos tambien el verbo tener. Therefore, I'm sleepy is tengo sleep.

And finally, if you want to say I'm careful, then you would say, tengo cuidado. But if you want to say be careful to someone else, then you would say ten cuidado. Or more formal, using the usted form, tenga cuidado muy bien. So tengo sueno. I'm sleepy. Tengo cuidado. I'm careful. Ahora vamosa practicar un poquito.

So I'll read a sentence in English and Then you need to translate it into Spanish. Don't worry if you don't know all the words. Just try your best and focus on the expressions we've seen. La primera frase es I'm cold this morning because the house is very cold. I'm cold this morning because the house is very cold.

SOS tengo frio. I'm cold. Esta manana. Por que la casa esta muy fria? Tengo frio esta manana. Por que la casa esta muy fria? Vamos abor la siente. My sister sleepy after working all night. My sister sleepy after working all night.

Mi hermana tiene sueno despues de trabajar toda la noche. Mi hermana tiene sueno despues de trabajar toda la noche. Let's do another one. We are hungry after skin. We are hungry after skiing.

Be careful. The road is frozen. Be careful, the the road is frozen.

Sos. 10 cuidado. La carretera esta congelada. 10 cuidado. La Carretera esta congelada. You could have also used the more formal version using usted. Tenga cuidado. La carretera esta congelada.

The children are scared with this film. The children are scared with this film.

If you enjoyed that translation challenge, remember you can keep practicing through Translation Challenge videos or other many types of videos on CoffeeBreak TV. Head over to CoffeeBreakTV.com or download the Coffee Break TV app where you'll find many different videos and many types of lessons to help you practice your Spanish. Muy bien a ramos un pequeno resume de lo que emos aprendido. Oy. Many everyday expressions that use the verb to be in English are formed with tener to have in Spanish. Por ejemplo. To be cold is tener frio. To be hot is tener calor. To be hungry is tener ambre. To be scared is tener miedo. To be right is tener razon. To be lucky is tener suerte. To be sleepy is tener sueno. And finally, to be careful is tener cuidado.

Bueno. Pues eso estodo porroy muchissimas gracias por escucarnos y por supuesto muchissimas huerte con du aprendic.

Happy Coffee breaking.

[C]

You have been listening to a Coffee Break Languages production for the RadioLingua Network. Copyright 2025 RadioLingua Limited Recording Copyright 2025 RadioLingua Limited all rights reserved.

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[A]

This holiday season, millions of families will pack their bags, load up the car, and head off for a family vacation. But not every trip is going to be somewhere fun. The American Red Cross responds to about 7,000 emergencies during the holiday season alone, from home fires to natural disasters, providing families a safe place to go when the unthinkable happens. But they can't do it without your support. Please donate at redcross. Org.