Introduction
Learning to ask questions with the verbs tengo and tienes is one of the fastest ways to start everyday conversations in Spanish. This article explains how these verbs work, shows practical examples for real situations, and gives beginner-friendly tips to build confidence asking and answering simple questions.
- What do tengo and tienes mean?
- How to form yes/no questions with tengo and tienes
- How to form information questions with question words
- Using tengo and tienes for age and obligation
- Everyday practical dialogs using tengo and tienes
- Useful vocabulary to pair with tengo and tienes
- Question patterns: direct and indirect
- Negative questions and short answers
- Pronunciation and informal tone tips for beginners
- Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
- Practice exercises for a beginner
- Quick role-play scenarios
- Extra tips to build confidence
- Conclusion
What do tengo and tienes mean?
Tengo and tienes are forms of the verb tener, which means to have in English. Tengo is the first person singular: I have. Tienes is the second person singular informal: you have.
These forms are used not only to show possession but also to talk about age, feelings, obligations, and descriptions in everyday Spanish.
Basic meanings with examples
Tengo = I have
Tengo hambre. (I am hungry.)
Tienes = you have (informal)
Tienes tiempo? (Do you have time?)
How to form yes/no questions with tengo and tienes
Yes/no questions in Spanish often use rising intonation and a simple inversion or just the same word order as statements. For beginners, the easiest way is to keep the statement order and raise your voice at the end, or add the question marks at the beginning and end when writing.
Examples using tengo
Tengo dinero? (Do I have money?) — spoken by someone checking their wallet.
Tengo que pagar ahora? (Do I have to pay now?) — when asking a cashier.
Examples using tienes
Tienes mi número? (Do you have my number?) — after giving a phone number.
Tienes hambre? (Are you hungry?) — asking a friend.
How to form information questions with question words
Information questions use question words like qué, dónde, cuándo, por qué, cómo, and cuánto. Place the question word first, then the verb form.
Common question words with examples
Qué (what) — ¿Qué tienes? (What do you have?)
Dónde (where) — ¿Dónde tengo que firmar? (Where do I have to sign?)
Cuándo (when) — ¿Cuándo tienes tiempo? (When do you have time?)
Por qué (why) — ¿Por qué no tienes hambre? (Why aren’t you hungry?)
Cómo (how) — ¿Cómo tengo que hacerlo? (How do I have to do it?)
Cuánto/cuánta (how much/how many) — ¿Cuánto tengo que pagar? (How much do I have to pay?)
Using tengo and tienes for age and obligation
In Spanish, age is expressed with tener, not to be. Also, tener + que + infinitive shows an obligation or necessity.
Age examples
Tengo veinte años. (I am twenty years old.)
¿Cuántos años tienes? (How old are you?)
Obligation examples with que
Tengo que estudiar. (I have to study.)
¿Tienes que trabajar hoy? (Do you have to work today?)
Everyday practical dialogs using tengo and tienes
Below are short realistic dialogs you might encounter at a restaurant, bus station, or with friends. These are beginner-friendly and show natural usage.
At a café:
Camarero: ¿Tienes una tarjeta de puntos?
Cliente: No, no tengo. ¿Puedo pagar en efectivo?
At a bus station:
Viajero: ¿Tengo que validar el boleto aquí?
Empleado: Sí, tienes que pasar por la máquina.
With a friend:
Amigo A: ¿Tienes fotos del concierto?
Amigo B: Sí, tengo muchas. Te las envío.
Useful vocabulary to pair with tengo and tienes
Common nouns and phrases that often appear with these verbs help beginners build practical sentences.
dinero — money
tiempo — time
hambre — hunger
sed — thirst
frío / calor — cold / hot
una pregunta — a question
un teléfono — a phone
un boleto — a ticket
que + infinitive — have to + verb
Question patterns: direct and indirect
Direct questions are used in conversation: ¿Tienes mi dirección? Indirect questions are reported or polite: Quiero saber si tienes mi dirección. Notice the verb form stays the same but the sentence structure changes.
Examples
Direct: ¿Tienes cambio para veinte? (Do you have change for twenty?)
Indirect: Quiero saber si tienes cambio para veinte. (I want to know if you have change for twenty.)
Negative questions and short answers
Negative questions can confirm assumptions. Use no before the verb. Short answers are common: sí or no, plus a short verb phrase.
No tienes hambre? — No, no tengo hambre. (Aren’t you hungry? — No, I’m not hungry.)
¿Tienes mi libro? — Sí, tengo. / No, no tengo. (Do you have my book? — Yes, I have it. / No, I don’t.)
Pronunciation and informal tone tips for beginners
Focus on natural rhythm. Tengo is pronounced with two syllables: ten-go. Tienes has two syllables: tie-nes. In casual speech, the t in tienes may link smoothly with following words. For beginners, practice each phrase slowly, then speed up.
Tip: Use rising intonation to turn a statement into a question when speaking: Tienes tiempo? Practice with a friend or language partner.
Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
Mistake 1: Using ser for age. Remember to use tener: Tengo veinte años, not Soy veinte años.
Mistake 2: Mixing formal and informal forms. Use tienes with amigos and family. For formal situations use tiene (usted) — but that is a different form beyond this article.
Mistake 3: Forgetting que after tener for obligations. Say tengo que estudiar, not tengo estudiar.
Mistake 4: Word order confusion in questions. Start with a question word if asking what, where, when, etc., then verb and subject if needed.
Practice exercises for a beginner
Translate these short prompts into Spanish using tengo or tienes.
1. Do you have time?
2. I have to go now.
3. How old are you?
4. Where do I have to sign?
5. Are you hungry?
Suggested answers (compare with your attempts):
1. ¿Tienes tiempo?
2. Tengo que irme ahora. / Tengo que salir ahora.
3. ¿Cuántos años tienes?
4. ¿Dónde tengo que firmar?
5. ¿Tienes hambre?
Quick role-play scenarios
Use these short role-plays with a partner or record yourself. Keep them natural and short.
Scenario 1: At a bakery
Cliente: ¿Tienes pan integral?
Vendedor: Sí, tengo pan integral y pan de centeno.
Scenario 2: Making plans
Amigo A: ¿Tienes planes mañana?
Amigo B: No, no tengo planes. ¿Qué propones?
Scenario 3: Checking schedules
Estudiante: ¿A qué hora tienes la clase?
Compañero: Tengo la clase a las nueve.
Extra tips to build confidence
Start small: use short questions like ¿Tienes agua? or ¿Tienes algo para escribir? Practice fixed phrases for common contexts: stores, restaurants, transportation. Record yourself to hear progress. When in doubt, simple direct questions are fine and widely understood.
Conclusion
Mastering questions with tengo and tienes unlocks many everyday interactions in Spanish. Use the patterns shown here for yes/no questions, information questions, age, and obligations. Practice realistic dialogs, avoid common mistakes, and try short role-plays to gain confidence. With these simple tools you will be able to ask and answer basic questions in real life situations.
