Tienes razón.

you're right

Questions & Answers about Tienes razón.

What does each word in Tienes razón mean?

Tienes is you have from the verb tener.

Razón literally means reason, but in this expression it means being right.

So word-for-word it is you have reason, but the natural English meaning is you’re right.

Why does Spanish use have here instead of be?

Because Spanish expresses this idea differently from English.

In English, we usually say you are right.
In Spanish, the most common expression is tener razón, literally to have reason.

So even though the structure is different, the meaning is the same:

• Tengo razón = I’m right
• Tienes razón = You’re right
• No tienes razón = You’re not right

Why isn’t tú included?

Spanish often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

In tienes, the ending -es tells you it is you singular informal (tú).

So:

• Tienes razón = perfectly normal
• Tú tienes razón = also correct, but tú is usually added only for emphasis, contrast, or clarity

For example:

• Tú tienes razón, no yo = You’re right, not me