Signification
Used to express the feeling of thirst.
Contexte culturel
In Spain, if you say 'Tengo sed' in a bar, it's often an invitation to get a 'caña' (small beer). It's very common to go 'de cañas' specifically to 'quitar la sed'. The phrase 'Tengo una sed de la mala' is a very popular slang expression in Mexico. It implies that water won't fix the thirst—only a cold beer (una chela) will. In Argentina, 'sed' is often quenched with 'mate', though mate can actually make you more thirsty because it's a diuretic. People will still say 'Tengo sed, prepará un mate'. In high-altitude regions, 'sed' is a constant companion due to the dry air. Offering 'chicha' or water is a standard sign of respect to travelers.
The 'Tener' Rule
Remember that Spanish uses 'Tener' for almost all bodily sensations: hunger, thirst, cold, heat, and sleepiness.
Gender Agreement
Always use 'mucha' with 'sed'. 'Mucho sed' is a very common mistake that sounds jarring to native speakers.
Signification
Used to express the feeling of thirst.
The 'Tener' Rule
Remember that Spanish uses 'Tener' for almost all bodily sensations: hunger, thirst, cold, heat, and sleepiness.
Gender Agreement
Always use 'mucha' with 'sed'. 'Mucho sed' is a very common mistake that sounds jarring to native speakers.
Sounding Native
If you are really thirsty, say 'Me muero de sed'. It makes you sound much more fluent and expressive.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct way to say 'I am very thirsty'.
Yo _______ mucha sed.
We use the verb 'tener' (to have) for thirst in Spanish.
Fill in the blank with the correct adjective for 'much'.
Tengo _______ sed.
'Sed' is a feminine noun, so we use 'mucha'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: ¿Quieres agua? B: Sí, por favor. _______ mucha sed.
The speaker is expressing their own current state of thirst.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You just finished a 10km run in the sun.
Running in the sun makes you thirsty.
Match the Spanish to the English.
Match the following:
Matching the correct conjugation of 'tener'.
🎉 Score : /5
Aides visuelles
Spanish vs English Logic
Banque d exercices
5 exercicesYo _______ mucha sed.
We use the verb 'tener' (to have) for thirst in Spanish.
Tengo _______ sed.
'Sed' is a feminine noun, so we use 'mucha'.
A: ¿Quieres agua? B: Sí, por favor. _______ mucha sed.
The speaker is expressing their own current state of thirst.
You just finished a 10km run in the sun.
Running in the sun makes you thirsty.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
Matching the correct conjugation of 'tener'.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
14 questionsYes, but it's very formal. It's like saying 'I am parched' instead of 'I'm thirsty'.
Because 'sed' is a noun (thirst), and 'muy' only modifies adjectives. You need 'mucha' (much) to modify a noun.
It is feminine (la sed), which is unusual for words ending in 'd'.
Simply say '¿Tienes sed?' with a rising intonation.
It's Mexican slang for wanting to drink alcohol, usually beer.
Yes, but you must add 'de' + the thing, e.g., 'tengo sed de justicia'.
Yes, 'Tengo sed' is universal.
The most common is 'Tenía sed' (I was thirsty).
It's grammatically correct but sounds redundant. Just say 'Tengo sed'.
Just add 'no' at the beginning: 'No tengo sed'.
It means 'to quench' or 'to satisfy' your thirst.
Yes, 'sediento' is the adjective form of the noun 'sed'.
No, children use 'Tengo sed' as soon as they can speak.
Yes, if you are offered a drink and want to explain why you're accepting it, it's perfectly polite.
Expressions liées
tener hambre
similarto be hungry
tener calor
similarto be hot
estar sediento
synonymto be thirsty
morirse de sed
specialized formto be dying of thirst
quitar la sed
builds onto quench thirst
