A1 Present Tense 13 min read Easy

Hunger and Thirst: Using the Verb 'Ter'

In Portuguese, you don't 'be' hungry; you 'have' hunger using the verb ter plus the noun fome.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

In Portuguese, you don't 'be' hungry; you 'have' hunger using the verb 'ter'.

  • Use 'ter' (to have) + 'fome' (hunger) for being hungry: 'Eu tenho fome'.
  • Use 'ter' (to have) + 'sede' (thirst) for being thirsty: 'Eu tenho sede'.
  • Never use 'estar' (to be) for these states; it is grammatically incorrect.
Subject + Ter (conjugated) + Fome/Sede

Overview

In Portuguese, expressing fundamental physical sensations like hunger, thirst, cold, and heat deviates significantly from the English construction. While English employs the verb to be followed by an adjective (I am hungry), Portuguese uses the verb ter (to have) followed by a noun (Eu tenho fome – I have hunger). This grammatical distinction reflects a core linguistic principle: Portuguese conceptualizes these states as entities that one possesses or experiences, rather than inherent qualities one is.

Understanding this conceptual shift is foundational for A1 learners.

This pattern extends beyond basic needs to include other internal states such as sono (sleepiness), medo (fear), razão (reason/being right), vergonha (shame), and pressa (hurry). Consequently, you will never say Eu sou fome or Eu estou fome to mean "I am hungry." Such phrases are grammatically incorrect and convey different, often nonsensical, meanings. The consistent application of ter with these specific nouns is a hallmark of natural Portuguese speech.

Conjugation Table

Pronoun Conjugation English Equivalent
:-------- :---------- :-----------------
Eu tenho I have
Tu tens You (singular, informal) have
Você tem You (singular, formal) have
Ele/Ela tem He/She has
Nós temos We have
Vós tendes You (plural, informal) have
Vocês têm You (plural, formal) have
Eles/Elas têm They have

How This Grammar Works

The grammar for expressing states like hunger and thirst is straightforward once you internalize the ter + noun structure. The verb ter is always conjugated to agree with the subject pronoun, but the noun that follows remains in its singular, masculine or feminine form. These nouns inherently carry the meaning of the state itself.
Consider fome (hunger, feminine noun) and sede (thirst, feminine noun). If you want to intensify these feelings, you use the indefinite adjective muito/muita (much/a lot of). Crucially, muito/muita must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, not the subject of the sentence.
Therefore, you say Eu tenho muita fome (I have a lot of hunger) and Ele tem muita sede (He has a lot of thirst), because fome and sede are feminine nouns.
Conversely, for masculine nouns like frio (cold), calor (heat), sono (sleepiness), and medo (fear), the intensifier muito is used in its masculine form: Nós temos muito frio (We are very cold/We have much cold) or Eles têm muito sono (They are very sleepy/They have much sleepiness). This consistent agreement between the intensifier and the noun is a common point of error for learners.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming sentences with ter for physical states follows a consistent three-part pattern:
2
Subject Pronoun or Noun: Identify who is experiencing the state.
3
Ter Conjugated: Use the appropriate present tense conjugation of ter for the subject.
4
State Noun: Append the specific noun representing the physical state.
5
Pattern: (Subject) + ter (conjugated) + Noun
6
Examples:
7
Eu tenho fome. (I am hungry / I have hunger.)
8
Você tem sede? (Are you thirsty? / Do you have thirst?)
9
Nós temos frio quando neva. (We are cold when it snows / We have cold when it snows.)
10
Eles têm muito calor no verão. (They are very hot in the summer / They have much heat in the summer.)
11
Remember that in informal Brazilian Portuguese, and often in spoken European Portuguese, the subject pronoun can be omitted when the verb conjugation clearly indicates the subject. For instance, Tenho fome is perfectly understood to mean Eu tenho fome.

When To Use It

Use the ter + noun construction to express a range of involuntary physical sensations and internal states. This rule is broadly applicable to many common daily experiences.
  • Hunger: fome (feminine)
  • Depois da corrida, tenho muita fome. (After the run, I am very hungry.)
  • Thirst: sede (feminine)
  • Bebeu toda a água? Ele tem sede agora. (Did you drink all the water? He is thirsty now.)
  • Cold: frio (masculine)
  • Por favor, feche a janela, eu tenho muito frio. (Please close the window, I am very cold.)
  • Heat: calor (masculine)
  • No Brasil, as pessoas têm muito calor no verão. (In Brazil, people are very hot in the summer.)
  • Sleepiness: sono (masculine)
  • Está tarde, e ela tem sono. (It's late, and she is sleepy.)
  • Fear: medo (masculine)
  • As crianças têm medo do escuro. (The children are afraid of the dark.)
  • Being Right: razão (feminine)
  • Eu acho que você tem razão. (I think you are right.)
  • Shame: vergonha (feminine)
  • Ele tem vergonha de falar em público. (He is ashamed to speak in public.)
  • Hurry: pressa (feminine)
  • Desculpe, tenho pressa. (Sorry, I'm in a hurry.)
This construction is fundamental for conveying personal physical comfort, needs, and certain emotional states that are perceived as possessed or experienced. It is a vital part of communicating your immediate condition or needs in Portuguese.

When Not To Use It

Avoid using ter for any state that is inherently an adjective describing a quality of the subject, or for emotional states that are not expressed as nouns with ter. This is where the distinction between English's to be + adjective and Portuguese's various verb + (adjective/noun) constructions becomes critical.
Do NOT use ter when:
  • You mean "I am..." followed by an adjective describing a temporary state, like cansado (tired), feliz (happy), triste (sad), ocupado (busy). These require estar:
  • Estou cansado. (I am tired.) NOT Tenho cansado.
  • Ela está feliz hoje. (She is happy today.) NOT Ela tem feliz hoje.
  • You mean "I am..." followed by an adjective describing a permanent characteristic, like alto (tall), inteligente (intelligent), brasileiro (Brazilian). These require ser:
  • Eu sou alto. (I am tall.) NOT Eu tenho alto.
  • Ele é inteligente. (He is intelligent.) NOT Ele tem inteligente.
  • You are describing a location or temporary condition that does not fall under the specific nouns associated with ter.
  • Onde está o livro? (Where is the book?) NOT Onde tem o livro? (which would imply possession).
The absolute rule for A1 learners: Never combine ser or estar directly with the nouns fome, sede, frio, calor, sono, medo, razão, vergonha, or pressa without an intervening preposition like com. For example, Eu estou fome is grammatically incorrect and will sound very unnatural to native speakers.

Common Mistakes

Learners often make predictable errors when first encountering the ter + noun structure, primarily due to direct translation from English and confusion with similar-sounding words or related grammatical patterns.
  • Using ser or estar instead of ter: This is the most prevalent mistake. Phrases like Eu sou fome or Eu estou sede are direct translations of "I am hungry/thirsty" but are incorrect. Remember the conceptual difference: you have hunger, you are not hunger itself.
  • Incorrect: Eles estão frio.
  • Correct: Eles têm frio. (They are cold.)
  • Incorrect gender agreement with intensifiers: When adding muito/muita (very/a lot of), learners sometimes make it agree with the subject rather than the following noun. Fome and sede are feminine; frio, calor, sono, medo are masculine.
  • Incorrect: Eu tenho muito fome. (Mixing masculine muito with feminine fome)
  • Correct: Eu tenho muita fome. (Correct agreement)
  • Omitting the circumflex on têm: For Eles/Elas/Vocês têm, the circumflex accent (^) on the e is crucial in written Portuguese. It distinguishes the plural form from the singular tem (Ele/Ela/Você tem). While often indistinguishable in spoken Brazilian Portuguese, it's a vital written distinction in both European and Brazilian variants.
  • Incorrect (written): Os alunos tem sede.
  • Correct: Os alunos têm sede. (The students are thirsty.)
  • Confusing ter sono with estar cansado: While both relate to tiredness, ter sono specifically means to be sleepy (to have sleepiness), indicating a need to sleep. Estar cansado means to be physically tired or fatigued from exertion.
  • Tenho sono. (I am sleepy.)
  • Estou cansado depois de trabalhar. (I am tired after working.)

Memory Trick

To solidify the ter + noun pattern, try this mnemonic: "You have the feeling, you don't are the feeling." Visualize these states as tangible objects or sensations that you carry. Imagine hunger as a small, rumbling stomach in your pocket, or thirst as a dry desert in your throat. You possess these things; you are not defined by them.

Another trick is to always pair ter with the noun fome (hunger) as your anchor. When you encounter a new physical state, ask yourself: "Is this like fome? Do I have it?" If the answer is yes, use ter followed by the noun for that state. This consistent association helps reinforce the grammatical structure.

Real Conversations

Understanding how native speakers deploy ter in everyday exchanges illuminates its natural use. It's not just for formal statements; it's deeply integrated into casual communication.

Example 1 (Dinner plans):

- Maria: Você tem fome? Vamos pedir uma pizza. (Are you hungry? Let's order a pizza.)

- João: Tenho, sim! Muita fome. Qual sabor você quer? (Yes, I am! Very hungry. Which flavor do you want?)

Example 2 (Weather talk):

- Ana (texting): Está muito vento aqui fora, tenho frio! (It's very windy out here, I'm cold!)

- Pedro (reply): Eu também! Vem para dentro, tenho um chocolate quente para nós. (Me too! Come inside, I have a hot chocolate for us.)

Example 3 (During a meeting):

- Gerente: Mais alguma pergunta antes de terminar? (Any more questions before we finish?)

- Colega: Eu tenho uma. Mas com pressa para almoçar, então serei breve. (I have one. But I'm in a hurry to have lunch, so I'll be brief.)

Notice how the subject pronoun (Eu, Você, Nós) is often omitted when clear from context, making conversations more fluid. This is particularly common in Brazilian Portuguese but also frequently occurs in European Portuguese informal speech.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

It is crucial to differentiate the ter + noun construction from other similar-looking but distinct patterns, particularly estar com + noun and ter + anos.
1. Ter + Noun vs. Estar com + Noun:
While Tenho fome is universally understood and grammatically correct in both European and Brazilian Portuguese, Estou com fome (literally "I am with hunger") is also a very common and natural way to express hunger, especially in Brazil. This applies to sede, frio, calor, sono, medo, etc.
  • Eu tenho fome. (I am hungry.)
  • Eu estou com fome. (I am hungry / I am with hunger.)
What's the difference? Ter + noun often feels slightly more direct and objective, indicating possession of the state. Estar com + noun implies being in a state of having that noun.
It can suggest a slightly more temporary or immediate feeling. For A1 learners, ter + noun is the foundational and always correct choice. Estar com + noun is an advanced variant, particularly valuable for sounding more natural in Brazilian Portuguese contexts.
The critical takeaway remains: never estar + noun without com.
| Feature | Ter + Noun | Estar com + Noun |
| :------------- | :------------------------- | :---------------------------- |
| Meaning | To have the state | To be with the state (experiencing) |
| Formality | Standard | Slightly more informal/common in Brazil |
| Usage | Both EP & BP | Very common in BP, also used in EP |
| Grammaticality | Always correct | Always correct (with com) |
2. Ter + Noun (Hunger/Thirst) vs. Ter + Anos (Age):
Portuguese also uses ter to express age. Similar to hunger, age is something you "have" in Portuguese (ter anos). This reinforces the idea that ter often conveys possession of a quantifiable or experienced state.
  • Eu tenho trinta anos. (I am thirty years old / I have thirty years.)
  • Quantos anos você tem? (How old are you? / How many years do you have?)
This consistency helps learners group certain concepts under the umbrella of ter as a verb of possession.

Progressive Practice

1

Mastering ter for physical states requires consistent, varied practice. Move beyond simple sentence repetition to more dynamic exercises.

2

- Situational Role-Play: Imagine scenarios (e.g., ordering at a restaurant, complaining about the weather, discussing a scary movie). Practice asking and answering questions about these states.

3

- Prompt: You just finished a long workout. What do you say?

4

- Response: Tenho muita sede e um pouco de fome.

5

- Sentence Transformation: Take English sentences and translate them into Portuguese, paying close attention to whether ter, ser, or estar is appropriate.

6

- English: "She is sleepy and sad."

7

- Portuguese: Ela tem sono e está triste. (Note the mix of ter and estar)

8

- Intensifier Drills: Practice adding muito/muita to various ter + noun phrases, ensuring correct gender agreement with the noun.

9

- ter frio -> ter muito frio

10

- ter vergonha -> ter muita vergonha

11

- Listening Comprehension: Pay attention to how native speakers express these states in movies, music, or podcasts. Note whether they use ter or estar com.

Quick FAQ

  • Q: Can I use muito with fome?
  • A: No, fome is a feminine noun, so you must use muita. Eu tenho muita fome.
  • Q: Is Estou com fome acceptable?
  • A: Yes, it's very common, especially in Brazilian Portuguese, and grammatically correct. It means "I am with hunger."
  • Q: What about Estou fome (without com)?
  • A: This is incorrect and should be avoided entirely. It sounds unnatural and meaningless.
  • Q: Do all physical feelings use ter?
  • A: No. While many key physical states use ter + noun (hunger, thirst, cold, heat, sleepiness), others are expressed with estar + adjective (e.g., estar cansado - to be tired, estar doente - to be sick).
  • Q: Why does Portuguese say "have hunger" when English says "be hungry"?
  • A: This reflects a different linguistic conceptualization. Portuguese treats these states as nouns that one possesses or experiences, whereas English treats them as adjectives describing one's condition. This is simply how the language works.
  • Q: How do I say "I am really, really hungry"?
  • A: You can say Tenho muita fome (I have much hunger) or the more dramatic Estou morrendo de fome (I am dying of hunger).

Conjugation of 'Ter' (Present Tense)

Subject Conjugation Meaning
Eu
tenho
I have
Você/Ele/Ela
tem
You/He/She has
Nós
temos
We have
Eles/Elas/Vocês
têm
They/You all have

Meanings

The verb 'ter' is used to express internal physiological states like hunger and thirst, functioning similarly to 'to have' in English but applied to nouns.

1

Hunger

The state of needing food.

“Eu tenho fome.”

“Você tem fome?”

2

Thirst

The state of needing water.

“Eu tenho sede.”

“Ela tem sede.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Hunger and Thirst: Using the Verb 'Ter'
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Subject + ter + fome/sede
Eu tenho fome.
Negative
Subject + não + ter + fome/sede
Eu não tenho sede.
Question
Ter + subject + fome/sede?
Você tem fome?
Plural
Eles/Elas + têm + fome/sede
Eles têm fome.
Intensified
Ter + muita + fome/sede
Eu tenho muita sede.
Short Answer
Sim, tenho / Não, não tenho
Sim, tenho.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Eu tenho fome.

Eu tenho fome. (Daily life)

Neutral
Tenho fome.

Tenho fome. (Daily life)

Informal
Tô com fome.

Tô com fome. (Daily life)

Slang
Tô varado de fome.

Tô varado de fome. (Daily life)

The 'Ter' Concept Map

Ter (To have)

Physiological

  • fome hunger
  • sede thirst
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Examples by Level

1

Eu tenho fome.

I am hungry.

2

Você tem sede?

Are you thirsty?

3

Nós temos fome.

We are hungry.

4

Ela tem sede.

She is thirsty.

1

Eles têm muita fome agora.

They are very hungry now.

2

Eu não tenho sede, obrigado.

I am not thirsty, thank you.

3

Você tem fome de quê?

What are you hungry for?

4

Quem tem sede aqui?

Who is thirsty here?

1

Sempre que viajo, tenho muita sede.

Whenever I travel, I get very thirsty.

2

Se você tem fome, vamos comer.

If you are hungry, let's eat.

3

Eles não têm fome, mas têm sede.

They aren't hungry, but they are thirsty.

4

Tenho tanta fome que comeria um boi.

I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.

1

Embora não tivéssemos fome, aceitamos o convite.

Although we weren't hungry, we accepted the invitation.

2

É comum ter sede após o exercício.

It is common to be thirsty after exercise.

3

Não me diga que você ainda tem fome!

Don't tell me you're still hungry!

4

A criança tem sede e pede água.

The child is thirsty and asks for water.

1

Apesar da longa caminhada, não tínhamos sede.

Despite the long walk, we weren't thirsty.

2

Ter fome é um instinto básico.

Being hungry is a basic instinct.

3

Se tivessem fome, teriam pedido comida.

If they had been hungry, they would have asked for food.

4

Não é apenas ter fome, é ter vontade de comer.

It's not just being hungry, it's having an appetite.

1

Ao ter fome, o corpo sinaliza a necessidade de nutrientes.

Upon feeling hunger, the body signals the need for nutrients.

2

Muitos têm sede de conhecimento.

Many have a thirst for knowledge.

3

Não se pode ter fome em um país tão rico.

One cannot be hungry in such a rich country.

4

Têm eles fome ou apenas tédio?

Are they hungry or just bored?

Easily Confused

Hunger and Thirst: Using the Verb 'Ter' vs Ter vs Estar

Learners use 'estar' because English uses 'to be'.

Hunger and Thirst: Using the Verb 'Ter' vs Tem vs Têm

Learners forget the plural accent.

Hunger and Thirst: Using the Verb 'Ter' vs Fome vs Faminto

Learners use the adjective 'faminto'.

Common Mistakes

✗

Estou fome

✓

Tenho fome

Using 'estar' instead of 'ter'.
✗

Eu tenho faminto

✓

Eu tenho fome

Using an adjective instead of a noun.
✗

Ele tem fome

✓

Ele tem fome

Wait, this is correct. The mistake is 'Ele é fome'.
✗

Tenho sede de água

✓

Tenho sede

Adding unnecessary words.
✗

Eles tem fome

✓

Eles têm fome

Missing the circumflex accent on the plural.
✗

Nós temos sede de

✓

Nós temos sede

Adding a preposition where none is needed.
✗

Você está sede?

✓

Você tem sede?

Using 'estar' again.
✗

Eu tinha fome

✓

Eu tenho fome

Using the wrong tense.
✗

Tenho muita sede de beber

✓

Tenho muita sede

Redundancy.
✗

Eles têm fome muito

✓

Eles têm muita fome

Incorrect word order.
✗

Tenho fome de comida

✓

Tenho fome

Redundancy.
✗

Ele tem sede de água

✓

Ele tem sede

Redundancy.
✗

Eles tem sede

✓

Eles têm sede

Missing accent.
✗

Estou com fome

✓

Tenho fome

While 'estou com fome' is used in Brazil, 'tenho fome' is the standard rule.

Sentence Patterns

Eu tenho ___.

Você tem ___?

Nós temos ___.

Eles têm ___.

Real World Usage

Restaurant constant

Tenho muita fome, o que recomenda?

Texting very common

Tô com fome, vamos comer?

Travel common

Tenho sede, onde tem água?

Social Media common

Tenho tanta fome agora!

Job Interview occasional

Não tenho fome, obrigado.

Food Delivery App very common

Tenho fome de pizza.

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💡

Noun vs Adjective

Remember that 'fome' and 'sede' are nouns. Don't look for an adjective.
⚠️

No 'Estar'

Never say 'Estou fome'. It sounds like you are saying 'I am hunger'.
🎯

Plural Accent

Always write 'têm' for plural. It's a common spelling error.
💬

Regional Variation

In Brazil, 'estou com fome' is very common, but 'tenho fome' is always correct.

Smart Tips

Think 'I have hunger' instead of 'I am hungry'.

Estou fome → Tenho fome

Remember the circumflex accent on 'têm'.

Eles tem fome → Eles têm fome

Use 'muita' (a lot of) instead of 'muito'.

Tenho muito fome → Tenho muita fome

Don't be surprised if you hear 'estou com fome'.

Tenho fome → Estou com fome

Pronunciation

tem /tẽ/, têm /tẽj/

Têm vs Tem

The plural 'têm' is pronounced slightly longer than the singular 'tem'.

Question

Você tem fome? ↗

Rising intonation at the end.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Ter' as 'Taking' in the hunger. You 'take' the hunger into your body.

Visual Association

Imagine a person holding a giant sandwich. They are 'having' (ter) the hunger, not 'being' the hunger.

Rhyme

If you want to eat, use 'ter' for the treat.

Story

Maria is at a cafe. She says 'Eu tenho fome'. The waiter brings food. She says 'Eu tenho sede'. He brings water. She is happy because she used 'ter'.

Word Web

fomesedetenhotemtemostêm

Challenge

Say 'Eu tenho fome' or 'Eu tenho sede' every time you feel hungry or thirsty today.

Cultural Notes

In Brazil, 'estou com fome' is extremely common, often more than 'tenho fome'.

In Portugal, 'tenho fome' is the standard and preferred form.

Hunger is a universal need, so this phrase is understood everywhere.

From Latin 'tenere' (to hold).

Conversation Starters

“

Você tem fome?

“

Você tem sede?

“

Quem tem fome aqui?

“

Você tem sede depois de correr?

Journal Prompts

Write about your day and when you felt hungry.
Describe a time you were very thirsty.
Compare your hunger habits with a friend.
Discuss the importance of food in your culture.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

Eu ___ fome.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tenho
Use 'ter' for hunger.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tenho fome
Use 'ter' + noun.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Eles tem fome.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eles têm fome
Plural needs an accent.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu tenho muita fome
Standard word order.
Translate to Portuguese. Translation

I am thirsty.

Answer starts with: Ten...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tenho sede
Use 'ter' + 'sede'.
Conjugate 'ter'. Conjugation Drill

Nós ___ fome.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: temos
Correct conjugation for 'nós'.
Match the subject. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: têm
Plural form.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Use 'sede' and 'você'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Você tem sede?
Standard question order.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

Eu ___ fome.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tenho
Use 'ter' for hunger.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tenho fome
Use 'ter' + noun.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Eles tem fome.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eles têm fome
Plural needs an accent.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

fome / eu / tenho / muita

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu tenho muita fome
Standard word order.
Translate to Portuguese. Translation

I am thirsty.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tenho sede
Use 'ter' + 'sede'.
Conjugate 'ter'. Conjugation Drill

Nós ___ fome.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: temos
Correct conjugation for 'nós'.
Match the subject. Match Pairs

Match 'Eles' with the correct form.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: têm
Plural form.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Use 'sede' and 'você'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Você tem sede?
Standard question order.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Translate to Portuguese Translation

I am thirsty.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu tenho sede
Select the correct intensity word Multiple Choice

Eu tenho ___ fome.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: muita
Put the words in the correct order Sentence Reorder

fome / Eles / têm / muita

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eles têm muita fome
Complete the plural form Fill in the Blank

Vocês ___ sono?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: têm
Match the state with its translation Match Pairs

Match the following:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: fome, sede, sono, frio
Correct the gender agreement Error Correction

Tenho muito sede.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tenho muita sede.
Pick the logical response Multiple Choice

Está 40 graus lá fora. Eu...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tenho calor.
Fill in the correct verb for 'He is right' Fill in the Blank

O professor ___ razão.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tem
Reorder the casual Brazilian variant Sentence Reorder

com / Estou / fome / muita

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Estou com muita fome
Identify the formal address Multiple Choice

O senhor ___ sede?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tem

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

No, it is grammatically incorrect. Always use 'ter'.

It distinguishes the plural from the singular 'tem'.

It is neutral and used in all situations.

No, just 'ter' + 'fome'.

It is very common in Brazil, but 'tenho fome' is the standard rule.

Use 'Eu tenho muita fome'.

Yes, it is a noun meaning thirst.

Yes, like 'ter sono' (to be sleepy).

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

Tener hambre/sed

None, they are identical.

French high

Avoir faim/soif

French uses 'avoir', Portuguese uses 'ter'.

German moderate

Hunger/Durst haben

German word order is different.

Japanese low

Onaka ga suita

Japanese is not a 'have' language for this.

Arabic low

Ana ja'an

Arabic uses 'I am hungry'.

Chinese low

Wo e le

Chinese does not use 'to have'.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Expressing Age: I 'Have' Years (Ter + Anos)

Learn These First

A1 Requires

Portuguese Verb 'Ter' (To Have/Age)

Overview In Portuguese, the verb `ter` is foundational, much like "to have" in English. However, its usage extends signi...

Related Grammar Rules

A1

Portuguese -ER Verbs: The Present Tense (comer, beber)

Overview Portuguese regular verbs are categorized into three groups based on their infinitive endings: `-ar`, `-er`, and...
A1

Portuguese Verb SER: Who You Are (to be - permanent)

Overview The Portuguese verb `ser` is one of two fundamental verbs translating to 'to be' in English. It describes **inh...
A1

Present Tense: Regular -IR Verbs (Opening & Deciding)

Overview The Portuguese language organizes its verbs into three primary conjugations: those ending in `-ar`, `-er`, and...
A1

Portuguese Verb 'Ter' (To Have/Age)

Overview In Portuguese, the verb `ter` is foundational, much like "to have" in English. However, its usage extends signi...
A1

The Verb 'Fazer': To Do and To Make

Overview The Portuguese verb `fazer` is a fundamental and highly versatile verb, serving as the equivalent of both "to d...
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