tener Affirmative Imperative Conjugation
tener — to have
The command forms are irregular: ten (tú), tenga (usted), tened (vosotros), tengan (ustedes).
tener Affirmative Imperative Forms
When to Use the Affirmative Imperative
Use the imperative to give advice or orders, like telling someone to 'have patience' or 'be careful'.
Notes on tener in the Affirmative Imperative
The informal 'tú' command is the short form 'ten'. The other forms follow the present subjunctive.
Example Sentences
¡Ten cuidado!
Be careful! (lit. Have care!)
tú
Tenga la bondad de esperar.
Have the kindness to wait.
Tengan paciencia, por favor.
Have patience, please.
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 'tiene' as a command.
Correct: Use 'ten' (informal) or 'tenga' (formal).
Why: Commands have their own specific forms; 'tiene' is just a statement of fact.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: tengo
Tener is a 'yo-go' verb with an e-ie stem change: tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tenéis, tienen.
Preterite
yo: tuve
The preterite of tener is highly irregular with a 'uv' stem: tuve, tuviste, tuvo, tuvimos, tuvisteis, tuvieron.
Imperfect
yo: tenía
Tener is completely regular in the imperfect: tenía, tenías, tenía, teníamos, teníais, tenían.
Future
yo: tendré
Tener uses the irregular stem 'tendr-': tendré, tendrás, tendrá, tendremos, tendréis, tendrán.
Conditional
yo: tendría
The conditional uses the irregular stem 'tendr-': tendría, tendrías, tendría, tendríamos, tendríais, tendrían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: tenga
The present subjunctive is based on the 'tengo' stem: tenga, tengas, tenga, tengamos, tengáis, tengan.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: tuviera
This tense uses the 'tuvier-' stem: tuviera, tuvieras, tuviera, tuviéramos, tuvierais, tuvieran.
Negative Imperative
yo: no tengas
Negative commands use the present subjunctive: no tengas, no tenga, no tengamos, no tengáis, no tengan.