When you start learning Spanish, you're bound to come across the verb tener. It is usually translated as "to have", since is conveys meanings such as "to possess" and "to carry", but the meaning of tener is much broader.
This verb can also be used to talk about someone's age, to describe feelings such as being hungry, hot, or cold, and as a possible translation for "to hold", among other things.
Tener can also be used as an auxiliary verb that expresses obligation or supposition when paired with que:
- Tengo que limpiar el baño. - I have to clean the bathroom.
- Ese coche tiene que ser de Pedro. - That car must be Pedro's.
Conjugations
Tener is quite irregular in its conjugation, so pay attention to the following sections to learn how to properly use it in these tenses.
Present
| Yo | tengo | Nosotros/Nosotras | tenemos |
| Tú (Vos) | tienes (tenés) | Vosotros/Vosotras | tenéis |
| Él/Ella/Usted | tiene | Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | tienen |
Examples:
- Tengo 20 años. - I'm 20 years old.
- Ten la cartera mientras abro la puerta. - Hold the purse while I open the door.
Imperfect
| Yo | tenía | Nosotros/Nosotras | teníamos |
| Tú (Vos) | tenías | Vosotros/Vosotras | teníais |
| Él/Ella/Usted | tenía | Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | tenían |
Examples:
- Cuando era niña, Luisa tenía 3 gatos. - When she was little, Luisa had 3 cats.
- Mi abuela tenía ojos azules. - My grandmother had blue eyes.
Preterite
| Yo | tuve | Nosotros/Nosotras | tuvimos |
| Tú (Vos) | tuviste | Vosotros/Vosotras | tuvisteis |
| Él/Ella/Usted | tuvo | Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | tuvieron |
Examples:
- Marina tuvo que volver a su casa. - Marina had to go back home.
- Mi prima tuvo gemelos. - My cousin had twins.
Future
| Yo | tendré | Nosotros/Nosotras | tendremos |
| Tú (Vos) | tendrás | Vosotros/Vosotras | tendréis |
| Él/Ella/Usted | tendrá | Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | tendrán |
Examples:
- Un día tendré una casa en Grecia. - One day I'll have a house in Greece.
- Cuando me gradúe tendré 18 años. - When I graduate, I'll be 18 years old.
Conditional
| Yo | tendría | Nosotros/Nosotras | tendríamos |
| Tú (Vos) | tendrías | Vosotros/Vosotras | tendríais |
| Él/Ella/Usted | tendría | Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | tendrían |
Examples:
- Si no hubiese comido una manzana, tendría hambre. - I would be hungry if I hadn't had an apple.
- Si abrieran la ventana, tendríamos calor. - If they opened the window, we'd be hot.
As you can see, tener is a very versatile verb that can be used in a lot of different situations. So, even though it is irregular, it's worth the effort of learning and memorizing how to properly conjugate it.
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By YourDictionary
When you start learning Spanish, you're bound to come across the verb tener. It is usually translated as "to have", since is conveys meanings such as "to possess" and "to carry", but the meaning of tener is much broader.
