Learn Spanish (Spain): Mi padre tiene cuarenta y ocho años.

Mi padre tiene cuarenta y ocho años.

My father is forty-eight years old.

Breakdown of Mi padre tiene cuarenta y ocho años.

Questions & Answers about Mi padre tiene cuarenta y ocho años.

How is the number 48 formed in this sentence?

To say 48, we literally say "forty and eight": cuarenta y ocho. For numbers from 31 to 99, we always use three separate words: the tens (cuarenta), the word y (and), and the single digits (ocho).

Why is cuarenta y ocho three words when 28 is only one word?

That is a special rule for Spanish numbers! Numbers in the twenties are squeezed into one single word (like veintiocho for 28). But once you reach 31, you must split them into three separate words with y in the middle, just like we see here with cuarenta y ocho.

Why do we use tiene (has) instead of the Spanish word for "is"?

In Spanish, people don't "be" an age; they "have" years. So instead of saying "My father is forty-eight", the sentence literally translates to "My father has forty-eight years" (Mi padre tiene cuarenta y ocho años). You will always use the verb tener (to have) when talking about age.

Does the word Mi (my) change depending on whether we are talking about a father or a mother?

No, the word mi only changes based on whether you are talking about one person or multiple people. Since padre is singular, we use mi. If you were talking about both parents, you would add an "s" and say mis padres. It does not change for masculine or feminine words.