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Ask for help > Why I AM 25 and not I HAVE 25?
Why I AM 25 and not I HAVE 25?
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Jorge Salas Correa
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Why I AM 25 and not I HAVE 25?
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Hello,Does anyone know the origin of this?
Why do we say I AM 25 and not I HAVE 25?
The same for: I AM hungry, thirsty, etc.
As a Spanish speaker, I would like to know the rule.
Thanks
Jorge Salas Correa
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16 Jun 2011
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sp.watson
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This is a common question from my students and a common cause of confusion. In the English language the commonest verb is "be" and compared to many other languages it is used instead of the verb "have".
Its is used to describe states of being e.g. I am a man, I am a teacher, I am happy, etc. and also with adjectives and adjectival phrases including age e.g. It is a dog, it is black, it is 5 years old, etc.
Sometimes we have the choice to use either "be" or "have" e.g. 1) "This room has 4 chairs" or 2) "There are 4 chairs in this room". Both are correct but to a native speaker the second one is slightly more natural and more commonly used.
Hope that is helpful :-) |
16 Jun 2011
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PhilipR
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Look at it his way:
I am 25. I am 25 years old. I am old.
You �d never say Tengo viejo in Spanish now, would you?
I am hungry, thirsty = I have hunger, thirst (not commonly used)
I guess it�s similar in Spanish: Soy hambriento (not commonly used ) vs Tengo hambre.
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16 Jun 2011
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Zora
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In English, the verb "to have" means to possess; and you don �t really possess the years, the hunger or the thirst. Therefore, we are the years that we are, we are hungry and we are thirsty.
I always say that in English, "No tenemos edad, somos los a�os que tenemos�... Or for us English speakers," In English, we haven�t got ages, we are the years that we are!"
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16 Jun 2011
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maryse pey�
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Hi dear,
Can you put on the table your pencils, the ones in your pencil case, please ?
Thank you. I can see 3 pink ones, 2 blue, 2 green.... Now I can write with them or put them back in the pencil case, can �t I ? All these objects are concrete, aren �t they ? My human senses are sollicited concretely, aren �t they ?
Can you put on the table the years of your age ? Can you decide to "have" 18 years for your body today and 32 tomorrow ? Can you handle your years as you handle your pencils ? The running time does not ask you if you are happy to "have" 1 year, then 2, then 3... and when you "have" 84 ones you have no choice and cannot decide to go back, can you ?
The same for the thirst, the hunger, the anger... All these notions are only "abstract ideas" if I dare say. Things you cannot manage to sculpt, order, measure as you would like... That is to say you are PASSIVE in front of such things. That is why you use "be", the auxiliary of the passive voice.
On another hand your hunger will be satisfied in a different way than mine, won �t it ? Will you eat a steak and potatoes, then a piece of cake to be ok ? Well, with some peas and a pear I will be ok, thanks.
But will 365 days of the year be longer for you or me ? There are 365 days. That �s all.
Here is the explanation I usually give to my students as something I feel so logic for this reasoning. You can act with what you HAVE, not with what you are imposed, you BE.
Have a good Thrusday. |
16 Jun 2011
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class centre
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I AM old. How old? 25. That �s it.
I AM 25 years old. Quite logical, isn �t it?
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16 Jun 2011
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