Introduction
Learning how to turn statements with Tengo into questions is a practical skill for beginners. This guide explains the grammar, common question types, vocabulary, and useful examples in everyday Latin American Spanish to help you ask for information, clarification, and help in real situations.
Why focus on Tengo?
Tengo is the first-person singular present of tener, one of the most used verbs in Spanish. It appears in simple statements like Tengo hambre and Tengo una pregunta. Knowing how to form questions from these statements lets you ask about needs, possessions, emotions, and obligations in conversations, restaurants, stores, directions, and messages.
Basic options to form questions from Tengo sentences
There are three beginner-friendly ways to make a question from a Tengo sentence:
1. Add question intonation only (informal, spoken)
2. Use interrogative words (what, when, why, how much, etc.)
3. Add tags or short question phrases for confirmation (no?, verdad?)
1. Change intonation: statements become questions
For very simple, informal interactions you can keep the sentence order and only change the voice so it rises at the end. This is common in spoken Spanish among friends or family.
Examples:
Tengo hambre
said as a question sounds like: Tengo hambre?
Tengo frío
said as a question sounds like: Tengo frío?
Note for learners: This works well in casual speech but can be ambiguous. Use intonation when context makes the question obvious, such as asking for food or a blanket.
2. Use interrogative words
Interrogative words ask for specific information. When used with Tengo, choose the interrogative that matches the information you need: what, why, how long, how many, how much, where, when, or who.
Common interrogatives useful with Tengo:
¿Qué? — asks for a thing or reason
¿Por qué? — asks for a cause or reason
¿Cuánto/cuánta? — asks for quantity or price (masculine/feminine)
¿Cuántos/cuántas? — asks for countable numbers
¿Dónde? — asks for place
¿Cuándo? — asks for time
Examples using interrogatives
Start with a simple statement: Tengo una pregunta.
Ask what the question is: ¿Qué pregunta tienes? or ¿Qué pregunta tienes tú? In natural beginner speech: ¿Qué pregunta tienes?
Statement: Tengo hambre.
Ask why: ¿Por qué tienes hambre?
Statement: Tengo tres entradas.
Ask how many: ¿Cuántas entradas tienes?
Statement: Tengo 100 pesos.
Ask how much: ¿Cuánto dinero tienes?
Statement: Tengo clase mañana.
Ask when: ¿Cuándo tienes clase?
Patterns and word order
Beginner-friendly pattern: Interrogative + Tengo + rest of sentence. This keeps the familiar verb placement for learners and matches everyday speech.
Pattern examples:
¿Qué tengo que hacer? — What do I have to do?
¿Dónde tengo que ir? — Where do I have to go?
¿Cuánto tiempo tengo? — How much time do I have?
Using tener que to ask about obligations
Tengo que + infinitive expresses obligation. To make a question, use an interrogative or intonation, or add a tag.
Statement: Tengo que estudiar.
Ask if you must: ¿Tengo que estudiar? or ¿Tengo que estudiar ahora?
Ask what to do: ¿Qué tengo que estudiar?
Beginner tip: Remember the structure tener que + verb behaves like must/need to in English. Use question words to specify time, place, or content.
Tag questions and confirmation
Beginners often want to confirm information. You can keep Tengo as in the statement and add a short tag or tiny question word.
Common tags:
¿no? — right / isn’t it
¿verdad? — true / right
Example:
Tengo tu libro, ¿no? — I have your book, right?
Tengo una duda, ¿verdad? is less natural; use ¿no? or ¿cierto? instead for confirmation.
Polite and formal questions
In more formal contexts (customer service, teachers, unfamiliar adults), keep the interrogative structure and add por favor or use conditional or polite phrases.
Examples:
¿Podría decirme cuánto dinero tengo en mi cuenta, por favor? — Could you tell me how much money I have in my account, please?
Note: This example uses a polite verb phrase. For beginners, a simpler question is fine: ¿Cuánto dinero tengo?
Common beginner situations and sample questions
At a restaurant:
Tengo hambre → ¿Qué tengo para comer? or ¿Qué me recomienda?
On a bus or train:
Tengo que bajar en la próxima parada → ¿Dónde tengo que bajar?
In a store:
Tengo 200 pesos → ¿Cuánto cuesta esto? or ¿Me alcanza con 200 pesos?
At school:
Tengo una tarea → ¿Qué tarea tengo para mañana?
In a message or chat:
Tengo una duda → ¿Puedes ayudarme con esto?
Key vocabulary and short phrases
Verbs and words beginners will see with Tengo:
Tener — to have
Tener que — to have to / must
Tengo — I have
Hambre — hunger
Sed — thirst
Frío — cold
Calor — heat
Duda — doubt / question
Pregunta — question
Dinero — money
Tiempo — time
Practical short dialogues
Dialogue 1 — ordering:
Cliente: Tengo hambre.
Mesero: ¿Qué quieres comer?
Cliente: ¿Qué me recomienda?
Dialogue 2 — direction:
Turista: Tengo que llegar al museo.
Local: ¿Dónde tienes que entrar? Te puedo indicar.
Dialogue 3 — class:
Estudiante: Tengo una pregunta.
Profesor: ¿Qué pregunta tienes?
Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
Mistake 1: forgetting question marks and intonation. Written Spanish requires opening ¿ and closing ?; spoken requires rising intonation. For beginners, remember both in the right context.
Mistake 2: wrong interrogative choice. For example, using ¿Cuánto? for countable items instead of ¿Cuántos/cuántas?. Fix: use ¿Cuántos libros tienes? not ¿Cuánto libros tienes?
Mistake 3: overusing literal English order. In Spanish, interrogative often comes first: ¿Dónde tengo la llave? rather than Tengo la llave dónde?
Mistake 4: confusing tener vs estar for feelings. Use Tengo for states like hunger, cold, fear: Tengo hambre, Tengo miedo. Use estar for temporary locations: Estoy en casa.
Practice exercises for learners
Exercise 1: Turn these statements into questions using intonation or an interrogative.
Tengo sed.
Tengo cinco dólares.
Tengo que hablar con el profesor.
Exercise 2: Fill in the correct interrogative word.
¿____ tengo que pagar? — price
¿____ tienes clase? — time
¿____ libros tienes? — quantity
Answers: ¿Cuánto?, ¿Cuándo?, ¿Cuántos?
Tips for fast improvement
1. Listen to simple dialogues and pay attention to rising intonation on questions.
2. Practice with flashcards of common phrases: Tengo hambre, Tengo frío, Tengo una pregunta.
3. Speak with language partners and ask for corrections on your question formation.
4. Use short role plays: order food, ask for directions, confirm plans, all starting with Tengo.
Conclusion
Mastering questions from Tengo sentences gives beginners immediate conversational power. Focus on the three main methods: intonation, interrogative words, and confirmation tags. Practice common contexts like food, directions, class, and shopping with the vocabulary and sample dialogues provided. With repeated short exercises you will confidently ask and get information in everyday Latin American Spanish situations.
