poseer
“poseer” means “to own” in Spanish (property or wealth).
to own, to possess
Also: to have
📝 In Action
La familia posee varias propiedades en el campo.
B1The family owns several properties in the countryside.
Ella posee un talento natural para la música.
B1She possesses a natural talent for music.
Es indispensable poseer el pasaporte para viajar.
B2It is essential to have a passport in order to travel.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
present
imperfect
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: poseer
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence is correct for the past tense 'they owned'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'possidere', which combines 'potis' (powerful/able) and 'sedere' (to sit). It literally means 'to sit as one in power' over something.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'poseer' used for ghost possessions?
Yes, but usually in the reflexive form 'ser poseído' (to be possessed) or referring to a spirit 'poseyendo' a body.
Can I use 'poseer' for skills?
Absolutely. It sounds very professional to say someone 'posee grandes conocimientos' (possesses great knowledge).
Is it a regular verb?
Mostly, but it has spelling changes. Because it has two 'e's in the stem, the 'i' in endings often changes to 'y' to keep the pronunciation clear.