Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): Tengo sed, por eso quiero beber agua.

Because Spanish expresses physical states like thirst with tener + noun. You say tengo sed (I have thirst), tengo hambre (I’m hungry), tengo frío (I’m cold), etc. You can say estoy sediento (“I’m thirsty”), but it’s more formal/literary and far less common in everyday speech in Spain.

What other set phrases like tengo sed should I know?

Tengo hambre = I’m hungry.
Tengo frío/calor = I’m cold/hot.
Tengo sueño = I’m sleepy.
Tengo prisa = I’m in a hurry.
Tengo miedo = I’m afraid.

Why is there a comma before por eso?

When por eso (“therefore/that’s why”) links two clauses, it’s treated like a connector and is normally set off by a comma. You could also use a semicolon: Tengo sed; por eso quiero beber agua. Starting a new sentence is fine, too: Tengo sed. Por eso quiero beber agua.

What’s the difference between por eso and porque?

porque = “because” (introduces the cause): Quiero beber agua porque tengo sed.
por eso = “therefore/that’s why” (introduces the consequence): Tengo sed; por eso quiero beber agua. Don’t say Tengo sed porque quiero beber agua unless you really mean the desire to drink is the cause of your thirst (which is odd).

Can I use así que, entonces, or por lo tanto instead of por eso?

así que ≈ “so,” very common and slightly more informal: Tengo sed, así que quiero beber agua.
entonces often means “then/so” for sequencing; as a pure causal connector, it can sound less natural in Spain in this exact sentence.
por lo tanto/por consiguiente/por tanto are more formal: Tengo sed; por lo tanto, quiero beber agua.

Why is it quiero beber (infinitive) and not quiero bebo?

After verbs like querer, poder, deber, saber (to know how), ir a (going to), tener que (have to), Spanish uses the infinitive: quiero beber, puedo beber, debo beber. Using a conjugated verb after quiero is incorrect.

Could I just say Quiero agua? Is that natural/polite in Spain?

Yes, Quiero agua is natural to express desire. To order politely in Spain, people often soften it: Quería (un) agua, por favor, ¿Me pone un agua, por favor?, ¿Me trae un agua, por favor? Using the conditional or past (“Quería”) or a request form is perceived as more courteous than a bare Quiero when speaking to staff.

Can I use tomar instead of beber?

Yes. In Spain, beber is the default for liquids, but tomar is also common, especially in set phrases like tomar algo (“have a drink”). Voy a tomar un vaso de agua is fine; voy a beber agua is a bit more specific to drinking.

Why is there no article before agua? Could I say beber el agua?

With liquids in general, Spanish often omits the article when speaking generically or about an unspecified amount: beber agua, beber leche. Use an article when specific or defined: beber el agua de la botella (“the water from the bottle”), beber un agua (in Spain, often a bottle of water).

Is agua masculine or feminine? Why do I sometimes see el agua but agua fría?

Agua is grammatically feminine. Before a singular feminine noun that starts with a stressed “a-,” Spanish uses the article el/un to avoid the “la a-” sound: el agua, un águila. The noun stays feminine, so adjectives/demonstratives agree in feminine: el agua fría, esta agua, mucha agua. In the plural it’s regular: las aguas frías.

Can I say tengo una sed horrible?

Yes. Although sed is typically uncountable, with intensifying adjectives Spanish allows the article: tengo una sed terrible/horrorosa. You’ll also hear intensifiers like tengo muchísima sed.

Is beberse possible here? What’s the difference?

Yes: Quiero beberme un vaso de agua. The pronominal form (beberse) often adds a sense of completeness or emphasis (“drink it up / all of it”). It’s common in Spain with quantities: me voy a beber una botella entera.

Could I start with Por eso?

Yes: Tengo sed. Por eso, quiero beber agua. Starting a sentence with Por eso is normal. The comma after it is optional but common.

Is entonces really wrong here?

Not “wrong,” but in Spain it’s more natural to use por eso or así que for a clear cause→consequence link. Entonces is very common for sequencing events or as a discourse marker, and can sound vague as a logical connector in this exact sentence.

Why not use the pronoun yo: Yo tengo sed?

Spanish normally drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the subject. Yo tengo sed adds emphasis or contrast (“I am the one who’s thirsty”), but Tengo sed is the neutral default.

Any pronunciation tips (Spain)?

quiero: the “qu” is a hard “k” sound; say something like “KYE-ro,” tapping the single r.
b/v in beber are both pronounced as a single “b” sound in Spanish.
sed: final “d” is soft; in casual Spain Spanish it may sound very light or even be dropped.
por eso: tap the r; link words smoothly: po-re-so.
agua: the “g” is hard; think “A-gwa.”

Is there a difference between saying the cause first vs. the result first?

Both orders are fine, but the connector changes:

Cause→Result: Tengo sed, por eso quiero beber agua.
Result→Cause: Quiero beber agua porque tengo sed. Avoid reversing them illogically (e.g., “I’m thirsty because I want to drink”).

Do I ever use the personal “a” with agua here?

No. The personal “a” is for specific human (or personified) direct objects. Beber agua takes no “a.”

What are more formal or literary alternatives?

You might see por consiguiente/por ende/por tanto/por lo tanto instead of por eso, and estoy sediento instead of tengo sed. In everyday Spain Spanish, the original sentence is the most natural.