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Learn Spanish Fast: The Secret of “Tener” Expressions to Speak Like a Local
Why do we use expressions with the verb tener in Spanish and not the verb estar, like in English?
This is Survival Spanish Latam´s translation and transcript for the Episode 11, SSL is a podcast for intermediate or advanced spanish levels, if you have not listen yet, please go to Spotify and check it out. However, if you just would like to read the information below, you are more than welcome to stay, the explanations are simple and I promise at the end of this blog, it will make a lot of sense.
My name is Gabriela Estrella, spanish teacher with more than 18 years of experience, founder of La Escuelita Spanish School in Montañita, and the podcast Survival Spanish Latam, and my mission in life is to help people to feel comfortable speaking spanish, learning about my culture and why not to fall in love with my language. In simple words, make your learning process simple and fun.
In the episode number 10 of the podcast, I talked about the Safest places to Travel in Latin America and why you shouldn’t be afraid to come! If you haven’t listened to it yet, I recommend you do it now — it has excellent tips for traveling more safely. But in this episode, I want to explain why in Spanish we use expressions with the verb tener and not estar or ser, like in English (if were translating directly from english)
Why do we say “tener miedo”? and how these expressions can help you to speak spanish fast?
For English speakers, it’s normal to say: I am cold, I am hot, I am scared.
And if we translate I am, we think of the verbs ser or estar — yo soy or yo estoy.
But for these expressions in Spanish, we don’t use ser or estar…
We use tener!
And that’s when the problems begin. When your Spanish teacher tells you that in Spanish we say:
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tengo hambre = I am hungry
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tengo frío = I am cold
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tengo calor = I am hot
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tengo miedo = I am scared
Learning spanish fast, using the correct verb for local expressions
But why do we use tener instead of estar or ser?
The explanation is very simple — and after this, it will be super easy to remember!
But first, we need to clarify a couple of grammar points. Then I have a very practical exercise that you can download right at the end.
Let’s begin — but first, something basic:
Use of the verb “tener”
The verb tener is used to indicate possession or the experience of a state.
In this case, you “have” or “experience” the emotion of fear.
1. “Miedo” is a noun, not an adjective
In Spanish, miedo is a noun (just like hambre, sed, calor).
Miedo, hambre, frío, calor are nouns, which is why we say el miedo, el frío, el calor, and they always go with the verb tener.
To express that we feel something that is a noun, we use tener:
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tener + noun
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tener miedo = I have the feeling of fear
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tener hambre = I have/feel hunger
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tener sed = I have/ feel
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tener sueño = I feel sleepy
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tener frío = I have/ feel cold
That’s why we say:
➡️ Tengo miedo. (I “have” the emotion of fear)
How to Learn Spanish fast, if you pay attention to the expressions?
2. “Estar + miedo” doesn’t work
Because miedo is not a condition or an adjective — it’s a noun.
With estar, you can only use adjectives:
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estoy asustado = I am scared (not frequent use)
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estoy cansado= I am tired
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estoy feliz= I am happy
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estoy nerviosa= I am nervious
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estoy enfermo= I am sick
In Spanish, “miedo” does not describe what you are or how you are — it’s something you temporarily "have".
Here’s an even simpler way to see it:
Miedo means fear.
In English, you never say: “I am fear.”
You say: I am afraid — and afraid is an adjective.
In Spanish, the adjective form is asustado:
estoy asustado = I am afraid
But that’s not the most common way to say it.
The most natural expression is:
👉 Tengo miedo = I have fear.
And since “fear” is a noun, it needs the verb tener.
Learning spanish for free using these expressions instead to "tener miedo"
✅ 1. With the verb temer (more formal or literary)
I fear dogs = temo a los perros
She fears flying = ella teme volar
✅ 2. With estar asustado / estar asustada
I am scared = estoy asustada
We are scared because of the noise = nosotros estamos asustados por el ruido
✅ 3. With asustarse (the action of becoming scared, reflexive verb)
I got scared = me asusté
Did you get scared with the movie? = te asustaste con la película?
✅ 4. With dar miedo (something causes fear, verb similar to “gustar”)
That movie scares me = la película me da miedo
Public speaking scares many people= hablar en público me da miedo
✅ 5. With me da cosa (colloquial, similar to “gustar”)
It creeps me out to go in there = me da cosa ir allá
That insect creeps me out= los insectos me dan cosa
✅ 6. With me pone nervioso / me pone tenso (similar to “gustar”)
(To express a light or mild fear)
Public speaking makes me nervous= me pone nerviosa hablar en publico
Walking alone at night makes me tense= caminar sola en la noche me pone tensa
✅ 7. With me inquieta / me preocupa (very formal)
(For a moderate or more rational fear)
That situation unsettles me = la situación me inquieta
Traveling alone worries me = viajar sola me preocupa
✅ 8. With me aterra / me horroriza (very strong fear)
The dark terrifies me = me aterra la oscuridad
The idea of flying horrifies me = la idea de volar me aterra
✅ 9. More informal expressions
Le tengo respeto. (mild fear; literally “I have respect for it.”)
Me da mala espina. (bad feeling / bad vibe)
Me pone los pelos de punta. (it gives me goosebumps)
Me muero del susto. (I’m dying from the fright — exaggeration)
Estoy cagado de miedo. (very colloquial, vulgar: “I’m scared shitless.”)
“Learning spanish fast, means learning the way we use expressions”
Learning Spanish also means understanding this: how a language holds within it an entire way of seeing the world.
If you loved this cultural journey, I invite you to keep learning with me.
Join my Spanish courses on the beach in Montañita or get ready online for your next adventure across Latin America.
Follow me on social media to discover more tips, expressions, and Latin traditions — told in a fun and authentic way.
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