On 11/07/09, lindsay wrote:
> My students want to know why you use "tener" with age
> instead of "ser". I am 15 instead of "I have 15 years." I
> just know that is how I learned it. Nobody ever explained
> the "why" to me. I told them that I would get back with
> them on that on Monday. I guess next they would probably
> ask me about "tener frio" instead of "estar frio". Could
> anyone help me? I think that "estar frio" would mean "cold
> to the touch" and "tener frio" would be internal body
> temperature, but I could be completely wrong here. Any
> answers would be helpful. Gracias.

Tener with age; you just have to tell them that it is a
language concept, absolutely, other languages as french, use
tener with age: J'ai 45; Tengo 45 años. But english uses SER,
I am 45.

You have to explain that TENER is possesion of something:
Tengo una casa; Tengo frío; Tengo calor; Tengo hambre; Tengo
2 hijos.

There is HABER too. English translates TENER=HABER. But HABER
is used only with compound tenses: He comido mucho; Había
caminado poco. So, TENER is very difficult to understand for
english speakers.

The other problem is SER and ESTAR. La casa está fría is not
La casa es fría. The first could be a few minutes, the
second, forever.

I think you have many things to think about now, lol. Enjoy
your preparation and good luck.

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