Tengo or tenga hambre?

[hola]

if i understood her correctly, a woman from Argentina told me that i am supposed to use the subjunctive when i am talking about myself. if that is true, then when i want to say i am hungry do i say tengA hambre instead of tengO hambre?

[Rusty]

There was a misunderstanding of some sort.
You use the subjunctive for a number of reasons, but stating fact is not one of them. The fact that you're hungry is always said, "Tengo hambre."

[Jessica]

I've never heard of tengahambre. It's always Tengo hambre.

[hola]

well this is what she said. i understand her but i am sure she could have used different words. is what she said even written correctly?

"Tengo hambre es un hecho, no es algo que podría ocurrir. (no va subjuntivo). Hace falta que tengas hambre para saber lo que es. (Va el subjuntivo porque le dice que para saber lo que es el hambre que no la tiene, tiene que padecerla)."

[Planet hopper]

Some generated sentences to help:

Ojala que nunca tengas hambre si estas lejos de casa.
Tenga o no tenga hambre, siempre me levanto de mal humor.
Quien tenga hambre que lo diga.
Los que no tengan prisa que se pongan en fila.
Tengas lo que tengas, en este sitio se acepta a todo el mundo.
Cuando el perro tenga hambre te lo dira.

Don't struggle to find a good notional rule, just watch the way the tense is used.

Cheers,

PH

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by hola

well this is what she said. i understand her but i am sure she could have used different words. is what she said even written correctly?

"Tener hambre es un hecho, no es algo que podría ocurrir. (no va subjuntivo). Hace falta que tengas hambre para saber lo que es. (Va el subjuntivo porque le dice que para saber lo que es el hambre quien no la tiene, tiene que padecerla)."

Corrections above.

Since neither of these statements conveys the idea that the subjunctive has to be used when speaking of yourself, I don't understand where you got that idea.

It's quite possible to use the subjunctive when referring to yourself, but only when required. For example:
Mi mamá no cree que yo tenga hambre.

[CrOtALiTo]

The way correct to say I'm hungry is Tengo hambre, there ain't other way to say the same.

[sosia]

Originally Posted by hola

well this is what she said. i understand her but i am sure she could have used different words. is what she said even written correctly?

"Tengo hambre es un hecho, no es algo que podría ocurrir. (no va subjuntivo). Hace falta que tengas hambre para saber lo que es. (Va el subjuntivo porque le dice que para saber lo que es el hambre que no la tiene, tiene que padecerla)."

I think there was some misunderstood with the context.

"Tengo hambre es un hecho, no es algo que podría ocurrir. (no va subjuntivo)."

To be hungry is a fact, no something that could happen (is not subjunctive)
S here your speaker agrees with Rusty/Crotalito. The only translation for "I'm hungry" is "Tengo hambre". It's not subjunctive.

"Hace falta que tengas hambre para saber lo que es. (Va el subjuntivo porque le dice que para saber lo que es el hambre que no la tiene, tiene que padecerla)."

It's necessary to be hungry to know what is to be hungry (It's subjunctive becouse he/she is saying that in order for a not-hungrier to know what hungry is, he must be hungry"

So, you must use subjunctive when you're speaking about assumptions, hypothesis, things to be... (See Hopper examples.....)

Saludos

[cmon]

tengas lo que tengas
You have what you have, you are what you are?

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by cmon

tengas lo que tengas
You have what you have, you are what you are?

Have what you may (have) = tengas lo que tengas (no importa lo que tengas)
Or, when applied to phrases like tener hambre:
Be what you may (be) -or- Be that as it may