Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Ela tem quinze amigos.

Ela tem quinze amigos.

She has fifteen friends.

Breakdown of Ela tem quinze amigos.

Questions & Answers about Ela tem quinze amigos.

Why does the verb ter become tem for this sentence?

tem is the he/she/you formal form of the irregular verb ter (to have) in the present tense. Since the subject here is ela (she), we must use tem. Because it is an irregular verb, you just have to memorize this form!

Does amigos mean all fifteen of her friends are male?

Not necessarily! In Portuguese, the masculine plural amigos is used for a group of only male friends, but also for a mixed group of both men and women. You would only use the feminine plural amigas if all fifteen friends were female.

Does the number quinze (fifteen) change if we are talking about female friends instead?

No, quinze stays exactly the same. Unlike the numbers one (um/uma) and two (dois/duas), which change to match the gender of the noun, the number fifteen does not change. You would say quinze amigas just like you say quinze amigos.

How do I pronounce the word tem? Do I say the 'm' like in English?

No, you do not close your lips for the 'm'. In Portuguese, an 'm' at the end of a word tells you to make the vowel before it nasal. tem sounds a bit like 'tayng' pronounced through your nose.