About This Lesson
Use Feeling Cold and Warming Up to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Tengo frío ahora.
TEHN-goh FREE-oh ah-OH-rah. I feel cold now.
B
Envuélvete en esta manta caliente.
em-BWEL-veh-teh en ES-tah MAHN-tah kah-LYEN-teh. Wrap yourself in this warm blanket.
A
Mis manos también están frías.
mees MAH-nohs tahm-BYEN ehs-TAHN FREE-ahs. My hands are cold too.
B
Sostén esta taza caliente un rato.
soh-STEN ES-tah TAH-sah kah-LYEN-teh oon RAH-toh. Hold this warm cup for a while.
A
Eso ayuda un poco.
EH-soh ah-YOO-dah oon POH-koh. That helps a little.
B
Siéntate en el sofá y descansa.
SYEN-tah-teh en ehl soh-FAH ee deh-SKAHN-sah. Sit on the sofa and rest.
A
La habitación se siente más cálida ahora.
lah ah-bee-tah-SYON seh SYEN-teh mahs KAH-lee-dah ah-OH-rah. The room feels warmer now.
B
Voy a cerrar la ventana para que siga así.
boy ah seh-RRAHR lah behn-TAH-nah PAH-rah keh SEE-gah ah-SEE. I'll close the window so it stays that way.Word by Word
Tengo
In «Tengo frío ahora», «Tengo» means “I feel” as part of the Spanish expression for feeling cold. It is the first-person present form of «tener». Use «Tengo» with a feeling or condition in expressions such as «Tengo frío»; a learner could use it at home when telling someone they feel cold.
frío
In «Tengo frío ahora», «frío» refers to the speaker’s feeling of cold. Together with «Tengo», it forms the usual expression for saying that someone feels cold. New example: «Tengo frío en la mañana» can be used when describing feeling cold in the morning.
ahora
In «Tengo frío ahora», «ahora» means “now” and places the feeling in the present moment. It can be placed after the main statement to specify when something is true. Use it when telling someone about a condition that is happening at this moment.
Envuélvete
In «Envuélvete en esta manta caliente», «Envuélvete» tells one person to wrap themselves up. The form combines the command to wrap with the idea that the action is done to oneself. Use «Envuélvete en...» when advising someone to wrap themselves in a blanket or another covering.
en
In «Envuélvete en esta manta caliente», «en» means “in” and introduces the blanket around which the person wraps themselves. The reusable pattern is «Envuélvete en + covering». Someone could use it at home when telling another person to wrap themselves in a blanket.
esta
In «esta manta caliente», «esta» means “this” and points to one nearby blanket. Its form matches the feminine singular noun «manta». Use «esta» before a nearby feminine singular thing when identifying it, such as «esta manta».
manta
In «esta manta caliente», «manta» means “blanket”. It is the object introduced after «en» in the pattern «Envuélvete en esta manta caliente». Use «manta» when talking about a covering used for warmth at home.
caliente
In «esta manta caliente», «caliente» describes the blanket as warm or hot. It follows the noun and describes its temperature. Use «caliente» after a noun when describing a warm or hot object, such as a blanket or cup.
Mis
In «Mis manos también están frías», «Mis» means “my” and shows that the hands belong to the speaker. Its plural form goes with «manos». Use «Mis» before more than one thing that belongs to you, as in «Mis manos».
manos
In «Mis manos también están frías», «manos» means “hands”. The form is plural because the sentence refers to the speaker’s hands together. Use «manos» when describing the condition or position of someone’s hands, such as when they feel cold.
también
In «Mis manos también están frías», «también» means “also” or “too”. It adds the hands to the earlier statement that the speaker feels cold. Use it when adding another person, thing, or fact to information already mentioned.
están
In «Mis manos también están frías», «están» means “are” and describes the current state of the hands. It is the plural present form of «estar», matching «manos». Use «están» with plural subjects when describing how they are at a particular moment.
frías
In «Mis manos también están frías», «frías» means “cold” and describes the hands. Its feminine plural form matches «manos». Use this form after «están» when describing the cold state of feminine plural things in this pattern.
Sostén
In «Sostén esta taza caliente un rato», «Sostén» tells one person to hold something. It is a direct command addressed to one person. Use «Sostén + object» when asking someone to keep an object in their hands, such as a cup.
taza
In «esta taza caliente», «taza» means “cup”. It is the object that the listener is told to hold in «Sostén esta taza caliente un rato». Use «taza» when offering or referring to a cup, especially when talking about holding a warm drink.
un
In «un rato», «un» means “a” and introduces one unspecified short period of time. The reusable expression «un rato» means “for a while”. Use it when asking someone to continue an action for a short, not precisely measured time.
rato
In «Sostén esta taza caliente un rato», «rato» means “a while” or a short period of time. Together with «un», it gives the duration of holding the cup. Use «un rato» with actions that continue for a short time, such as waiting or resting.
Eso
In «Eso ayuda un poco», «Eso» means “that” and refers to the warming action or object just mentioned. It lets the speaker point back to something already understood without naming it again. Use «Eso» when commenting on a nearby action, object, or situation.
ayuda
In «Eso ayuda un poco», «ayuda» means “helps” and says that the thing just mentioned has a beneficial effect. It is the singular present form used with «Eso». Use «ayuda» after a singular subject when saying that something makes a situation better.
poco
In «Eso ayuda un poco», «poco» means “a little” and limits the amount of help. It follows «ayuda» to show that the effect is real but small. Use «un poco» or «poco» with an action or result when describing a small amount.
Siéntate
In «Siéntate en el sofá y descansa», «Siéntate» tells one person to sit down. The form includes the idea that the person sits themselves down. Use «Siéntate en...» when inviting or telling someone to take a seat in a particular place.
el
In «el sofá», «el» means “the” and introduces one specific masculine singular noun. It identifies the particular sofa in the home. Use «el» before a known masculine singular object, as in «el sofá».
sofá
In «Siéntate en el sofá», «sofá» means “sofa”. After «en», it names the place where the listener should sit. Use «sofá» when referring to the seating furniture in a home.
y
In «Siéntate en el sofá y descansa», «y» means “and” and connects two instructions. It links sitting on the sofa with resting. Use «y» to join two related actions or statements in one sentence.
descansa
In «Siéntate en el sofá y descansa», «descansa» tells one person to rest. It is a direct command that follows the first instruction. Use «descansa» when advising someone to stop activity and recover, especially at home or when they are tired.
La
In «La habitación se siente más cálida ahora», «La» means “the” and introduces the specific room being discussed. Its feminine singular form matches «habitación». Use «La» before a known feminine singular noun, such as «La habitación».
habitación
In «La habitación se siente más cálida ahora», «habitación» means “room”. It is the subject whose temperature or atmosphere seems warmer. Use «habitación» when talking about a room in a home or another building.
se
In «La habitación se siente más cálida ahora», «se» is part of «se siente», the construction used to say that the room feels a certain way. It connects the room with the sensation described by «siente». Use «se siente» with a subject and a description when saying how that subject feels or seems.
siente
In «La habitación se siente más cálida ahora», «siente» means “feels” within «se siente». It is the singular present form used with «La habitación». Use «se siente» to describe how a place, object, or person seems from someone’s experience.
más
In «más cálida», «más» means “more” and shows a comparison with how warm the room was before. It comes before the describing word in this comparison. Use «más + adjective» when saying that something has a greater degree of a quality.
cálida
In «La habitación se siente más cálida ahora», «cálida» describes the room as warmer. Its feminine singular form matches «habitación», and «más cálida» means “warmer”. Use «cálida» with a feminine singular noun when describing a warm quality or atmosphere.
Voy
In «Voy a cerrar la ventana», «Voy» begins the expression for “I am going to” do something. It is the first-person present form of «ir» and is followed here by «a» and an infinitive. Use «Voy a + infinitive» to announce an action you plan to do shortly.
a
In «Voy a cerrar la ventana», «a» connects «Voy» with the upcoming action «cerrar». Together, «Voy a cerrar» means “I am going to close”. Use «ir a + infinitive» to express a planned or imminent action.
cerrar
In «Voy a cerrar la ventana», «cerrar» means “to close”. It stays in the infinitive after «Voy a». Use «Voy a + cerrar + object» when announcing that you are going to close something, such as a window or door.
ventana
In «Voy a cerrar la ventana», «ventana» means “window”. It is the object of «cerrar». Use «ventana» when talking about opening or closing a window in a room or building.
para
In «para que siga así», «para» introduces the purpose of the action of closing the window. The whole pattern «para que + clause» means “so that” or “in order that”. Use it when explaining the result you want an action to produce.
que
In «para que siga así», «que» links the purpose expression «para» to the clause describing the desired result. Together, «para que» introduces what should happen because of the action. Use «para que + clause» when stating a purpose involving another situation or state.
siga
In «para que siga así», «siga» means “continues” or “stays” and describes the room remaining as it is. It is used after «para que» for the desired result of closing the window. Use «para que siga...» when saying that you want a condition to continue.
así
In «para que siga así», «así» means “that way” and refers back to the room being warmer. It avoids repeating the full description of the room’s condition. Use «así» when referring to a state or manner that has just been mentioned.
Grammar Points
tener + sustantivo para expresar sensaciones
Tengo frío.
TEHN-goh FREE-oh.I feel cold.
Spanish uses tener (“to have”) to express feeling cold, rather than a direct equivalent of “to feel” + adjective.
Imperativo afirmativo + pronombre reflexivo
Envuélvete.
em-BWEL-veh-teh.Wrap yourself.
In affirmative commands, the reflexive pronoun attaches to the verb: envuelve + te → envuélvete.
Spanish Vocabulary
ahora
adv
ah-OH-rah
now
ayudar
verb
ah-yoo-DAHR
to help
ayuda
caliente
adj
kah-LYEN-teh
warm; hot
envolverse
verb
em-bohl-VEHR-seh
to wrap oneself
Envuélvete
Used as a reflexive command to wrap yourself.
mano
noun
MAH-noh
hand
manos
manta
noun
MAHN-tah
blanket
sostener
verb
soh-steh-NEHR
to hold
Sostén
Used as a command to hold something.
también
adv
tahm-BYEN
also; too
taza
noun
TAH-sah
cup
tener frío
phrase
teh-NEHR FREE-oh
to feel cold
Tengo frío
Used to say that you feel cold.
un poco
phrase
oon POH-koh
a little
un rato
phrase
oon RAH-toh
for a while
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
I feel cold now.
Show Answer
Tengo frío ahora.Wrap yourself in this warm blanket.
Show Answer
Envuélvete en esta manta caliente.My hands are cold too.
Show Answer
Mis manos también están frías.Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
hand
Show Answer
manosto wrap oneself
Show Answer
Envuélveteto hold
Show Answer
Sosténalso; too