If you only add one phrase to your Spanish this week, make it:

"tener ganas de" which is "to feel like" or "to be in the mood for" doing something.

What it means

Literally, "tener ganas" translates to "to have desires," but in everyday speech it just means you "want" or "feel like" doing something. It's more casual and more common in conversation than "querer" (to want).

Tengo ganas de comer tacos.— I feel like eating tacos.
¿Tienes ganas de salir esta noche? — Do you feel like going out tonight?
No tengo ganas de trabajar hoy. — I don't feel like working today.

How to use it

The formula is simple: conjugate "tener", add "ganas de", then drop in a verb in the infinitive.

"tener"(conjugated) + "ganas de" + "infinitive"

| Subject | Conjugation | Example |

| yo | tengo | Tengo ganas de dormir. |
| tú | tienes | Tienes ganas de bailar. |
| él/ella/usted | tiene | Tiene ganas de viajar. |
| nosotros | tenemos | Tenemos ganas de aprender. |

Why it's worth learning

"Tener ganas de" comes up constantly in real conversation, with friends making plans, at work, even small talk with a barista. Native speakers reach for it far more often than "querer", so using it will make you sound natural, not textbook.

Try it today

Pick one thing you feel like doing right now and say it out loud:

"Tengo ganas de ______."