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- Topic: Spanish >
- "Tengo hijos e hijas."
115 Comments
274
The "h' is silent in "hijas" and the "i" sound sounds like "y". So it sounds a but odd to say, "y hijas". Think of an/a and how "an" is used before a vowel and "a" if there is no vowel.
I noticed you're learning spanish and portugese. Is it hard to learn two languages that are so identical?
- 274
I only tried Portugese on duolingo a few times. The voice in the Portugese section is/was very bad so I gave up on it. I'm only learning Spanish.
- 2156
I'm learning Spanish and Portuguese and Italian and Esperanto. Sometimes it can be helpful but sometimes it can be confusing.
Hey bro, they're identical sometimes. In general, a brazilian do not understand what a argetinian or a paraguayan is saying. The biggest problem in learning both languages at the same time are the fake friends, in spanish "falsos amigos", in portuguese "falsos amigos or falsos cognatos". That's the problem in learning languages which contain quite similarity, you get pretty confused sometimes. But that's possible. I recommend you to learn one by one, or at least get some knowledge on the first one and move on.
Wow, I've been studying Spanish for over ten years and never realized this! =\
Like saying "an herb" in english cause there's a vowel sound that starts the next word
Man, I took 3 years of Spanish in highschool and 2 in college, and I have never seen this before... How strange. Makes sense though!
When the following word starts with an "i" vowel sound that is identical to "y".
I genuinely forgot that the words "son" and "daughter" were words in English! I knew what the words meant in Spanish, and I was thinking, "I have girl-children and boy-children?" I guess that means I'm starting to think in Spanish...
"niño/niña" generally translates into "kid" or "child" and refers to a very young person. "chico/chica" translates into the gender-distinguishable "boy/girl" and generally refers to people that are young, but not as young as a "kid".
There are also "muchacha y muchacho" and they refers to young adults. So the sorting is niña < chica < muchacha
I can't see this sentence being said much unless you're specifically emphasizing that you have sons and daughters instead of just children. Even then, if you're being specific, you would most likely state how many of each you have. As it stands this is a very unlikely sentence in any context.
It's good that you do not have to say I in some sentences in Spanish.
'e' is used when the word after 'e' is starting with 'hi' or 'i'. So instead of 'y' you put 'e'.
It is like English's 'a' and 'an.
I believe that with 'o' you also do the same thing, but you replace 'o' with 'u'.
Hope this helped
I knew I was off when I said hijos y hijas -- but it must not listen that well, since it accepted my pronunciation. Interestesting
The word "and" becomes "e" if the word after it starts on "i" or "hi" (which sounds the same because "h" is silent). I don't think "Y hijas" that sounds like "[i ihas]" will sound good...
- 2156
Settings --> Coach. Set your goal to "casual" and do at least one lesson per day. Doesn't take long and after a while it becomes a routine.
Is "e" used rather than "y" between plurals? Or is it just an "e" because the next word starts with "h?"
- 2156
The 'h' is silent here, so the word starts with an 'ee' sound. Whenever the very next word starts with an 'ee' sound, you use e instead of y for "and".
It's a similar rule for "or". Usually it's o, but if the very next word starts with an 'o' sound, you use u instead.
Crazy how grammar can alter things both in English and Spanish! Never have I run into "e" before being used in place of the popular "y"! Wow... Thanks for explaining Rocko
I thought that the English word 'and' translated to 'y' in Spanish. I have now learnt that 'e' can also be used as the translation for 'and'. But when should I use 'e', and 'y' in a sentence?
x3 The word "and" becomes "e" if the word after it starts on "i" or "hi" (which sounds the same because "h" is silent). I don't think "Y hijas" that sounds like "[i ihas]" will sound good...
I put daughters and sons in different orders and they counted it wrong?!?!?!?!?
I don't understand the difference between "tengo" and "tienes". Both mean "have", but I assume depends how it's used in a sentence.
Tengo means mushroom, right? Also, I keep mixing up the Spanish words for loves and wants
- 2156
No, "tengo" does not mean "mushroom". "Mushroom" would be "la seta", "el hongo", or "el champiñón".
"Tengo" means "I have", conjugated from "tener", "to have".
"Amar" means "to love".
"Querer" means "to want" and in certain contexts (usually when talking about a person) can mean "to love".
- 2156
Because the computer will think you're translating words the wrong way.
As far as grammar will allow, always follow word order. If you're asked to translate "X and Y", don't flip it to "Y and X".
I should probably go kill myself. My highest streak is 5 days which was 5 months ago.
- 2156
Similar reason why English has both "a" and "an" for the indefinite article: Euphony.
y, pronounced "ee", is the default word for "and" in Spanish. But if the next word starts with the same sound, which is often spelled <i> or <hi>, then they use e, which is pronounced "ay".
There's a similar rule for the word for "or". The default word is o, but if the next word starts with that same sound, then they use u instead.
You are such a help, stay being one. Trust me it will be useful in the future, through helping you will be helped( trust me I know, I am just the same);)
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A. I have never heard that there is a similar rule for "or". B. You have a daily streak that is as long as I have been studying Spanish. You are an inspiration.
Cant you just say "tengo hijos" since that is a unisex term to say you have children?
- 2156
Saying you have "children" is less specific. Saying you have "sons and daughters" means you have both more than one boy and more than one girl.
Is there a rule or difference when it comes to using y and e for the word "end"?
- 2156
Yes, there is a rule for when to use y or e to mean and.
y, pronounced "ee", is the default word for "and" in Spanish. But if the next word starts with the same sound, which is often spelled i or hi, then they use e, which is pronounced "ay".
There's a similar rule for the word for "or". The default word is o, but if the next word starts with that same sound, then they use u instead.
- 2156
There is a rule for when to use y or e to mean and.
y, pronounced "ee", is the default word for "and" in Spanish. But if the next word starts with the same sound, which is often spelled i or hi, then they use e, which is pronounced "ay".
There's a similar rule for the word for "or". The default word is o, but if the next word starts with that same sound, then they use u instead.
This is specific. Yeah one could just say "I have kids" but the speaker is being specific on the gender of their children.
- 2156
There is a rule for when to use y or e to mean and.
y, pronounced "ee", is the default word for "and" in Spanish. But if the next word starts with the same sound, which is often spelled i or hi, then they use e, which is pronounced "ay".
There's a similar rule for the word for "or". The default word is o, but if the next word starts with that same sound, then they use u instead.
- 2156
It's similar to why we have both a and an.
y, pronounced "ee", is the default word for "and" in Spanish. But if the next word starts with the same sound, which is often spelled i or hi, then they use e, which is pronounced "ay".
There's a similar rule for the word for "or". The default word is o, but if the next word starts with that same sound, then they use u instead.
Hi! Can anyone tell me why it's "Tengo hijos e hijas" instead of "Tengo hijos e hijas"? Thanks!
- 2156
In case you can't see the other comments on this page...
It's similar to why we have both a and an.
y, pronounced "ee", is the default word for "and" in Spanish. But if the next word starts with the same sound, which is often spelled i or hi, then they use e, which is pronounced "ay".
There's a similar rule for the word for "or". The default word is o, but if the next word starts with that same sound, then they use u instead.
- 2156
In case you can't see the other comments on this page...
It's similar to why we have both a and an.
y, pronounced "ee", is the default word for "and" in Spanish. But if the next word starts with the same sound, which is often spelled i or hi, then they use e, which is pronounced "ay".
There's a similar rule for the word for "or". The default word is o, but if the next word starts with that same sound, then they use u instead.
what is the difference between tiene and tengo? i mean when do u use them? thank you! :*
