Breakdown of Me arrepiento de tener este vicio.
tener
to have
este
this
arrepentirse de
to regret (one's own actions)
el vicio
the bad habit / the vice
Questions & Answers about Me arrepiento de tener este vicio.
Why is the infinitive tener used here instead of a conjugated verb?
Because the subject is the same for both actions! You are the one who regrets (me arrepiento) and you are the one who has the habit (tener). With verbs of emotion, when there is no change in subject, you just use the infinitive. If you regretted someone else's habit, you would need que plus the subjunctive (like Me arrepiento de que tengas este vicio).
Why do we need the word de before tener?
In Spanish, the verb arrepentirse (to regret) always requires the preposition de before the thing you regret, whether it is a noun or an action. It is a set structure you have to memorize: arrepentirse de (to repent of / to regret).
Why is there a Me at the beginning of the sentence?
The verb for "to regret" is arrepentirse, which is a pronominal verb. This means it always requires a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, etc.) to match the subject. Without the me, the verb arrepiento would be incomplete and grammatically incorrect.
I thought a "vice" was something extreme. Can vicio be used for minor bad habits too?
Yes! While vicio translates directly to "vice" (like gambling), in everyday Spanish it is commonly used for any bad habit, big or small. Biting your nails, drinking too much coffee, or spending hours on social media can all casually be called a vicio.
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