Learn Spanish (Spain): Mi padre tiene treinta años.

Mi padre tiene treinta años.

My father is thirty years old.

Breakdown of Mi padre tiene treinta años.

Questions & Answers about Mi padre tiene treinta años.

Why does the sentence use tiene (has) instead of a word for 'is'?

In Spanish, you do not say that you 'are' a certain age; instead, you say that you 'have' years. You must always use the verb tener (to have) for ages. So, tiene treinta años literally translates to 'has thirty years'.

Is there a trick to remembering the word treinta (thirty)?

Yes! Notice how treinta starts with tre-, just like the word tres (three). Also, most of the 'tens' in Spanish end in -enta, like cuarenta (forty) and cincuenta (fifty). Treinta follows a very similar pattern with its -inta ending.

How important is the squiggly line over the 'n' in años?

It is extremely important! That letter is ñ, and it makes a sound like the 'ny' in the English word 'canyon'. If you forget it and write an ordinary 'n', the word changes to a medical anatomy term that is very impolite to use by accident. Always double-check your spelling for años!

Would mi (my) change if I were talking about both of my parents?

Yes, it would. The word mi is singular, used here because you are only talking about one person, mi padre (my father). If you were talking about multiple people, you would add an 's' to make it plural, like in mis padres (my parents).