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English 'be', Spanish 'tener'

English speakers naturally use the verb "to be" to describe how they feel physically or mentally: we are hungry, we are cold, or we are right. In Spanish, many of these everyday personal states are expressed as things you possess.

Instead of saying that you "are" a state, you say that you "have" it. If you translate directly from English and say estoy hambre, Spanish speakers will be quite confused.

Word list
tener hambreA1 to be hungry tener hambre = to be hungry tener sedA1 to be thirsty tener sed = to be thirsty hambrefA2 hunger tener hambre = to be hungry miedomA2 fear tener miedo = to be afraid sueñomA2 sleep tener sueño = to be sleepy suertefA2 luck tener suerte = to be lucky tener calorA2 to be hot tener calor = to be hot tener cuidadoA2 to take care tener cuidado = to be careful tener fríoA2 to be cold tener frío = to be cold tener miedoA2 to fear tener miedo = to be afraid tener razónA2 to be right tener razón = to be right ansiedadfB1 anxiety tener ansiedad = to be anxious calormB1 heat tener calor = to be hot confianzafB1 confidence tener confianza = to be confident confianza en sí mismofB1 self-confidence tener confianza en sí mismo = to be self-confident éxitomB1 success tener éxito = to be successful fortunafB1 luck tener fortuna = to be lucky sedfB1 thirst tener sed = to be thirsty temormB1 fear tener temor = to be afraid tener ganasB1 to feel like tener ganas = to feel like angustiafB2 anxiety tener angustia = to feel distressed culpafB2 guilt tener culpa = to be guilty envidiafB2 envy tener envidia = to be envious flojerafB2 laziness tener flojera = to be lazy pacienciafB2 patience tener paciencia = to be patient perezafB2 laziness tener pereza = to be lazy tener prisaB2 to be in a hurry tener prisa = to be in a hurry vergüenzafB2 embarrassment tener vergüenza = to feel embarrassed vergüenzafB2 shame tener vergüenza = to feel embarrassed celosmC1 jealousy tener celos = to be jealous
How it works

To express these states, Spanish pairs the verb tener (to have) with a noun. Because you are dealing with a noun rather than an adjective, you cannot use muy (very) to intensify the feeling. You must use the adjectives mucho or mucha (a lot of). If the noun is plural, you will use muchos or muchas.

Tengo mucha hambre.
(I am very hungry.)
Physical sensations

Basic bodily needs and reactions rely heavily on tener. You use it with words like hambre (hunger), sed (thirst), calor (heat), and frío (cold). It is also used with sueño. Since sueño means sleep or sleepiness, tener sueño means to be sleepy.

¿Tienes frío?
(Are you cold?)
Nosotros tenemos mucho calor.
(We are very hot.)
Yo tengo sueño, me voy a la cama.
(I am sleepy, I am going to bed.)
Los niños tienen sed.
(The children are thirsty.)
Mental states and situations

Mental states and situational feelings follow the exact same pattern. You "have" reason (tener razón) when you are right. You "have" care (tener cuidado) when you are careful. You also use this structure to say you are in a hurry (tener prisa) or to say you are lucky, using either suerte or fortuna. If you are patient, you have paciencia. If you are guilty, you have culpa.

Tú tienes razón.
(You are right.)
Ten mucho cuidado con el perro.
(Be very careful with the dog.)
Ellos tienen prisa por llegar.
(They are in a hurry to arrive.)
Hoy tengo mucha suerte.
(Today I am very lucky.)
Emotions and desires

Finally, many complex emotions are treated as possessions. You can be afraid (tener miedo or tener temor), jealous (tener celos), envious (tener envidia), anxious (tener ansiedad), or embarrassed (tener vergüenza). If you are feeling lazy, you might say you have pereza or flojera. If you are confident, you have confianza.

Note that celos is plural, so it pairs with muchos. Another incredibly common plural phrase is tener ganas, which is typically followed by de to express that you feel like doing something.

Tengo miedo de las arañas.
(I am afraid of spiders.)
Mi hermano tiene muchos celos.
(My brother is very jealous.)
Ella tiene mucha vergüenza.
(She is very embarrassed.)
Tengo ganas de comer pizza.
(I feel like eating pizza.)
Summary

When describing how you feel, remember that Spanish treats physical sensations, mental states, and emotions as things you possess. Always use the verb tener with a noun, and if you want to intensify the feeling, use mucho instead of muy.