One of the most confusing topics for English learners. Teacher Dove is here to make it simple.
Hello, and welcome back! Teacher Dove is here again, and today we are going to talk about one of the most confusing topics for English learners. Do not worry though. By the end of this lesson, I promise you will smile because it will all make sense. Are you ready? Let us go!
In English, I am comes from the verb To Be. We use it to describe who you are, how you feel, or what you are doing at this moment. In Portuguese, this gives us two verbs: ser and estar.
Now, I have comes from the verb To Have. We use it to talk about things you own or possess. In Portuguese, this is ter or eu tenho.
Teacher Dove sees this mistake every single day! In Portuguese, we say "eu tenho 19 anos" to talk about age. So many students translate this directly into English and say "I have 19 years old." But in English, this is completely wrong!
When we talk about age in English, we always use I AM, not I HAVE. This is one of the biggest exceptions you need to remember.
Think of it this way: in English, your age is not something you have. It is something you are. You ARE 19. You ARE 25. Simple as that! Every time you want to say your age, ask yourself: am I describing what I own, or who I am? Age is always who you ARE!
Do you understand so far? I hope you do! Remember, even native speakers took time to learn these differences. The fact that you are here, reading this lesson, already puts you ahead of many people. Keep going, because Teacher Dove believes in you! ❤