How to Say "they felt" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “they felt” is “tenían” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Los niños tenían sueño y querían ir a la cama.
The children were sleepy and wanted to go to bed.
Tenían 25 años cuando se casaron.
They were 25 years old when they got married.
Después del partido, los jugadores tenían mucha sed.
After the game, the players were very thirsty.
Using 'Tener' for States and Feelings
In English, you say 'I am hungry,' but in Spanish, you say 'Tengo hambre' (I have hunger). 'Tenían' works the same way for the past. It's used for many common feelings and states where English uses 'to be'.
Using 'Eran' or 'Estaban' Instead of 'Tenían'
Mistake: “Ellos estaban hambrientos.”
Correction: Ellos tenían hambre. While 'estaban hambrientos' is technically correct, it's far more natural and common to use the 'tener + [noun]' structure for these feelings.
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.