Tener Manías

Question

Can anyone explain to me how to use manía, or tener manía. I believe that it´s a bad habit but still don´t have its use totally clear in all of its uses. Thanks

Welcome to the Q&A forum! - --Mariana--, Jul 19, 2012

Answer 1

• tiene sus manías = he has his little ways

• tiene la manía de comerse las uñas = he has the annoying habit of biting his nails

• tener manía a algn = to dislike sb

• tengo manía a los bichos = I can't stand insects

Thanks Mariana, - BAIBAI, Jul 19, 2012

Am i correct in thinking then that it always has a negative meaning? - BAIBAI, Jul 19, 2012

Mariana, shouldn't it be se muerde las uñas, comerse sounds like he is eating his nails. - kenwilliams, Jul 19, 2012

Hi Baibai, How can it be negative? Tiene la manía de la limpieza - she has an obsession with or colloquially, a thing about cleaning. She just likes things clean. - Eddy, Jul 20, 2012

An illness I have been spared.. - annierats, Jul 20, 2012

Eddy, that's obsessive cleaning.. - annierats, Jul 20, 2012

Answer 2

Haha, all right, well here's what I said:

I put Tengo manía. into Google translate, and it gave me "I have a hobby."

So perhaps it can be used as, Nadar es mi manía. - "Swimming is my hobby/obsession/craze."

But of course, if "manía" has a negative connotation, maybe it can't be used in this way, lol.

Awwww...you had a great answer! It's always good to have several answers to a question. - --Mariana--, Jul 19, 2012

Oh no Azabache I didn´t get to see your answer to scratch it. Please share! - BAIBAI, Jul 19, 2012

Answer 3

Puede ser también una pasión violenta o un deseo despistado.

That's more than a hobby, really.. - annierats, Jul 20, 2012

Answer 4

I don't know if it's related, especially because I don't know the exact spelling, but in Chile I often her people described as having mañas or being mañoso when they were too picky or particular about things, not just food. It seemed to mean someone who was not easily pleased. It was definitely a negative term, but used playfully. This is only what I was able to deduce based on context.