Tengo sed, así que quiero beber agua.

I am thirsty, so I want to drink water.

Breakdown of Tengo sed, así que quiero beber agua.

• yo: I
• querer: to want
• el agua: the water
• beber: to drink

Questions & Answers about Tengo sed, así que quiero beber agua.

Why is it tengo sed and not estoy sed?

Because Spanish expresses physical states like thirst with the construction tener + noun. Sed is a noun (“thirst”), so you say tener sed. Saying estoy sed is ungrammatical. Comparable patterns: tengo hambre/sueño/prisa/miedo/frío/calor.

Can I say estoy sediento?

Yes. Estoy sediento means “I am thirsty,” too. It’s correct but sounds more formal or literary, and it can sound stronger (very thirsty). In everyday speech, tengo sed is by far the most common.

What other states use tener + noun like this?

Common ones:

• tener hambre/sed/sueño (to be hungry/thirsty/sleepy)
• tener prisa/miedo (to be in a hurry/afraid)
• tener frío/calor (to feel cold/hot; for weather you’d say hace frío/calor)
• tener ganas de + infinitive (to feel like doing something)

Avoid estoy caliente to mean “I’m hot” about temperature; in Spain it’s mostly sexual.

Do I need to say yo in Yo tengo sed?

No. Spanish normally drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the subject. Tengo sed is the default. Use yo only for emphasis or contrast (e.g., Yo tengo sed, pero él no).