obtiene
ohb-tee-EH-neh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Ella obtiene el permiso después de llenar los formularios.
A2She obtains the permit after filling out the forms.
El equipo obtiene la victoria con un gol de último minuto.
B1The team gets the victory with a last-minute goal.
¿Cómo obtiene usted tanta información?
A2How do you (formal) obtain so much information?
💡 Grammar Points
Identifying the Speaker
The form 'obtiene' is used when the person doing the action is 'he' (él), 'she' (ella), or the formal way of saying 'you' (usted). It is a present-tense action happening now or habitually.
Irregularity Pattern
The base verb 'obtener' is irregular because it follows the pattern of the highly common verb 'tener' (to have). Notice the 'o' becomes 'e' in the 'yo' form (obtengo), just like 'tengo'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Obtiene' and 'Tiene'
Mistake: "Using 'obtiene' when you mean 'tiene' (has)."
Correction: 'Obtiene' means 'gets' or 'acquires,' while 'tiene' means 'already has.' They are related but not interchangeable. Correct: Él tiene un coche (He has a car). Incorrect: Él obtiene un coche (unless you mean he is currently acquiring it).
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal vs. Informal
Using 'obtiene' when addressing someone is polite and formal, as it uses the 'usted' form. For a friend, you would use 'obtienes' ('tú' form).
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: obtiene
Question 1 of 2
Which subject pronoun correctly uses the verb form 'obtiene'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'obtener' considered an irregular verb?
'Obtener' is irregular because its conjugation does not follow the standard pattern of '-er' verbs. It is modeled after the very common irregular verb 'tener' (to have), which causes changes like 'o' to 'e' in the 'yo' form (obtengo) and the use of 'u' in the past simple tense (obtuve).