tener is the Spanish verb for "to have," used both for possession and in many essential expressions (e.g., tener hambre — to be hungry). It's an irregular verb with a stem change and unique conjugations in several tenses.
- Meaning: to have (possession), to be (in expressions)
- Type: irregular verb
- Key uses: possession, age, obligations, states/conditions
*tener* is used for possession, age, obligations, and some states/conditions.
Conjugation: Present Indicative
tener is irregular in the present; it includes a root change (ten- → tien- for most forms) and a special ending for "yo."
| Person | Conjugation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| yo | tengo | Irregular "g" |
| tú | tienes | Stem change e → ie |
| él/ella/Ud. | tiene | Stem change |
| nosotros/as | tenemos | Regular in this form |
| vosotros/as | tenéis | Regular with accent |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | tienen | Stem change |
- Yo tengo: I have
- Tú tienes: You have
- Él/Ella tiene: He/She has
- Nosotros tenemos: We have
- Vosotros tenéis: You all have
- Ellos tienen: They have
'tengo' is the correct 'yo' form.
The stem changes for tú, él/ella/Ud., and ellos/ellas/Uds.
'We' is tenemos, and 'you all' (Spain) is tenéis.
Tener + Expressions
tener is used in many common idiomatic expressions to describe feelings/conditions (not literally "to have" in English).
| Expression | Literal Translation | Actual Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| tener hambre | to have hunger | to be hungry |
| tener sed | to have thirst | to be thirsty |
| tener frío | to have cold | to be cold (feeling) |
| tener calor | to have heat | to be hot (feeling) |
| tener miedo (de) | to have fear (of) | to be afraid (of) |
| tener prisa | to have hurry | to be in a hurry |
| tener razón | to have reason | to be right |
| tener éxito | to have success | to be successful |
'tener hambre' means 'to be hungry.'
'tener miedo' is the standard *tener* expression for 'to be afraid.'
Conjugation: Preterite
In the preterite, tener is very irregular:
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | tuve |
| tú | tuviste |
| él/ella/Ud. | tuvo |
| nosotros/as | tuvimos |
| vosotros/as | tuvisteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | tuvieron |
- The root changes to tuv- + regular preterite endings.
The root is 'tuv-' for the preterite.
'tuvo' (he), 'tuvimos' (we), 'tuvieron' (they) are correct.
Conjugation: Conditional
Use the "tener" stem (tendr-) + conditional endings:
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | tendría |
| tú | tendrías |
| él/ella/Ud. | tendría |
| nosotros/as | tendríamos |
| vosotros/as | tendríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | tendrían |
- Meaning: "would have"
The stem is 'tendr-' for conditional (and future).
'tendría' is correct for 'I would have.'
Conclusion
tener is a crucial irregular verb used for possession, important expressions, and various grammatical functions.
- Use tener for ownership, age, states, and obligations.
- Master its irregular conjugations: present (tengo, tienes...), preterite (tuve...), and stem changes for conditional/future.
- Learn common tener expressions for everyday fluency.
*tener* is also used for age, some expressions (e.g. tener hambre), and obligations.
*tener* is an irregular verb.