Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Spanish & English Languages > Grammar


¿Por qué te estás lavando las manos? -Las tengo sucias.

 

This is the place for questions about conjugations, verb tenses, adverbs, adjectives, word order, syntax and other grammar questions for English or Spanish.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old February 03, 2009, 05:37 PM
laepelba's Avatar
laepelba laepelba is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Suburbs of Washington, DC (Northern Virginia)
Posts: 4,683
Native Language: American English (Northeastern US)
laepelba is on a distinguished road
¿Por qué te estás lavando las manos? -Las tengo sucias.

The answer to that question was: Me estoy lavando las manos porque las tengo sucias.

I am rather confused about the use of the first person for the verb "tener". It would have made more sense to me as: "Me estoy lavando las manos porque las tiene sucias."

I mean, obviously, "tengo" refers to the speaker who is washing his/her hands. But I don't understand why the hands "tengo" the dirtiness.

Also, would it be the same in the following examples??
- Me no estoy lavando las manos porque las tengo limpias.
- (Speaker looking at his/her own hands): "Las manos tengo sucias."

Please explain to me why first person is used here ... and some other examples would help! THANK YOU!!
__________________
- Lou Ann, de Washington, DC, USA
Específicamente quiero recibir ayuda con el español de latinoamerica. ¡Muchísimas gracias!
Reply With Quote
   
Get rid of these ads by registering for a free Tomísimo account.
  #2  
Old February 03, 2009, 05:54 PM
Rusty's Avatar
Rusty Rusty is online now
Señor Speedy
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 11,299
Native Language: American English
Rusty has a spectacular aura aboutRusty has a spectacular aura about
tenerlo sucio = to have something dirty

Tengo la cara sucia. = I have a dirty face.
If we know you're talking about a face,
La tengo sucia means the same thing (using a direct object pronoun instead).
In your example, we know that hands is the object, so
Las tengo sucias = I have dirty hands.

Quote:
No me estoy lavando las manos porque las tengo limpias.
- (Speaker looking at his/her own hands): "Las manos tengo sucias."
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old February 03, 2009, 05:58 PM
laepelba's Avatar
laepelba laepelba is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Suburbs of Washington, DC (Northern Virginia)
Posts: 4,683
Native Language: American English (Northeastern US)
laepelba is on a distinguished road
Rusty - I almost changed the "me no" to "no me". Glad you pointed that out. And thanks for that concise explanation. Makes a lot of sense to me now.
__________________
- Lou Ann, de Washington, DC, USA
Específicamente quiero recibir ayuda con el español de latinoamerica. ¡Muchísimas gracias!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old February 03, 2009, 08:26 PM
lee ying's Avatar
lee ying lee ying is offline
Emerald
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: mexico city
Posts: 627
Native Language: spanish
lee ying is on a distinguished road
Maybe, you can use these examples:
Yo me estoy lavando las manos por que estan sucias: I´m washing me the hands because they are dirties.
Me estoy lavando las manos por que estan sucias. I´m cleaning my hands because they are dirties.
or la que tu dices:
Me estoy lavando las manos por que las tengo sucias:Im wasing my hand because I have hand dirties. AM I RIGHT? *_*
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old February 03, 2009, 09:46 PM
Tomisimo's Avatar
Tomisimo Tomisimo is offline
Davidísimo
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: North America
Posts: 5,664
Native Language: American English
Tomisimo will become famous soon enoughTomisimo will become famous soon enough
Quote:
Originally Posted by lee ying View Post
Maybe, you can use these examples:
Yo me estoy lavando las manos por que estan sucias: I´m washing me the hands because they are dirties.
Me estoy lavando las manos por que estan sucias. I'm cleaning my hands because they are dirty.
or la que tu dices:
Me estoy lavando las manos por que las tengo sucias:I'm washing my hands because I have dirty hands. AM I RIGHT? *_*
.....
__________________
If you find something wrong with my Spanish, please correct it!
Reply With Quote
Reply

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Las Tareas!! Jessica Practice & Homework 5 January 07, 2009 02:58 PM
Las Posadas Jessica Culture 25 January 03, 2009 06:44 PM
Las Tareas... Jessica Practice & Homework 19 December 17, 2008 07:38 PM
¿por qué las casas americanas son de madera? sosia Culture 1 June 03, 2008 11:39 AM
Me pueden correjir estas frases, por favor? gramatica Grammar 2 August 10, 2007 01:13 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:16 PM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X