This short guide explains when to use haber (for helping/auxiliary) and tener (for possession or experiences) so you sound natural in Spanish.
Haber (Helping / Existence)
Use haber as an auxiliary to form compound tenses and to signal existence or occurrence when the focus is on an event or an amount.
Auxiliary Use
Haber appears in forms like he, has, ha + past participle to create the perfect tense that shows completed actions relevant to the present.
Existential Use
The impersonal hay (from haber) indicates that something exists or happened, and you can use forms like hubo, había for past events or descriptions.
I have finished the homework before going out.
Tener (Possession / Experience)
Use tener when talking about owning something, physically possessing an item, or when describing experiences, sensations, obligations, or stages that relate directly to the subject.
Physical Possession
Tener expresses that someone holds or owns something tangible, like a bag, house, or pet, and you use it in straightforward sentences with the thing as a direct object.
Experiences and Sensations
Use tener for bodily states tener hambre*, *tener frío, age tener años, and obligations (tener que + infinitive), which frame personal experiences rather than events.
Key Differences
Remember that haber highlights existence or serves as an auxiliary for events and amounts, while tener relates to personal possession or conditions; swapping them can change meaning or sound unnatural.
Quick Summary
Use haber for helping verbs and to signal that something exists or happened, and use tener for owning things or describing experiences and duties tied to the subject.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025