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I just started using Memrise to help learn Spanish. estoy and tengo are an issue for me in one lesson.
According to the software.
estoy enferma = I am sick
tengo hambre = I am hungry
It states that "estoy" = I am (temporary), while "tengo" = I have.
Since both of these words that come after estoy and tengo are "feelings" in my opinion, how can I work this out to understand which word to use when I need to?
I would have never associated tengo with "I am". I would have said "estoy hambre".
I understand your confusion. You must realize that just as in English, there are verbs that have more than one meaning (in some, LOTS more). In this case "tener" means to have. It applies in several common Spanish uses which are uncommon in English. I'm hungry=tengo hambre; I'm thirsty=tengo sed; I have a headache=tengo dolor de cabeza; I have to go=tengo que ir.
When you say I'm sick (estoy enferma) you are likely to hear "que tiene?" (what do you have?).
Quote:
Originally Posted by vicente
Thanks vicente
Would there be confusion if I say "estoy hambre"?
Well, maybe not confusion but you'd probably get a smile from whoever reads or hears it. Hunger is a condition. Tengo hambre literally means "I have hunger". Estoy hambre means literally means "I am hunger".
In learning Spanish, bear in mind that you cannot always translate things literally. Sometimes it works but often you end up with something that sounds off the wall and that is the primary problem with using machine translators like Memrise.
I think that can be used both in any case.
Tengo Hambre / Estoy Hambriento.
Tengo una Enfermedad / Estoy Enfermo.
Hi, well, we would understand....but this is like saying:Quote:
Originally Posted by usmdesigner
I have hungry.
you would understand, right? But it is simply not said this way ;)