A friendly cartoon character extending their hand to give a bright red apple to another person who is reaching out to receive it.

ten

/ten/

VerbA1irregular er

have?as a command, e.g., 'have this',take?as a command, e.g., 'take this'

Also:here?when handing something to someone,here you go?when handing something to someone

Quick Reference

infinitivetener

gerundteniendo

past Participletenido

📝 In Action

Ten, se te cayó la cartera.

Here, you dropped your wallet.

Ten cuidado al cruzar la calle.

Be careful when crossing the street.

Ten paciencia, por favor. Ya casi termino.

Have patience, please. I'm almost done.

Ten en cuenta que la tienda cierra a las ocho.

Keep in mind that the store closes at eight.

Word Connections

Synonyms

toma (take (informal command))
coge (take (informal command, can be vulgar in some regions))

Antonyms

suelta (let go / drop)
deja (leave / let go)

Common Collocations

ten cuidado – be careful
ten paciencia – have patience
ten en cuenta – keep in mind / take into account
ten presente – keep in mind / bear in mind

💡 Grammar Points

An Informal Command

'Ten' is a command you give to one person you know well, like a friend or family member (the 'tú' form). It's the 'bossy' form of the verb 'tener' (to have).

Where does 'ten' come from?

This is a special, short command form of the verb 'tener'. If you look at the verb chart, you'll see it under Imperative Affirmative for 'tú'. Notice how irregular it is!

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'ten' formally

Mistake: "Speaking to a stranger or your boss and saying, 'Ten, su bolígrafo.'"

Correction: For someone you'd call 'usted', you should use 'tenga'. For example, 'Tenga, su bolígrafo.' It shows more respect.

Negative Commands

Mistake: "Telling a friend 'No ten miedo' to mean 'Don't be afraid'."

Correction: The negative command is different. You need to say 'No tengas miedo'. 'Ten' is only for positive (affirmative) commands.

⭐ Usage Tips

Handing Something Over

The most common use of 'ten' is like saying 'Here you go' as you hand an object to someone. You just say 'Ten' and hold out the item.

Commanding a State

You can also use 'ten' to command someone to be in a certain state, like in 'ten cuidado' (be careful) or 'ten paciencia' (be patient).

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

yotengo

tútienes

él/ella/ustedtiene

nosotrostenemos

vosotrostenéis

ellos/ellas/ustedestienen

preterite

yotuve

tútuviste

él/ella/ustedtuvo

nosotrostuvimos

vosotrostuvisteis

ellos/ellas/ustedestuvieron

imperfect

yotenía

tútenías

él/ella/ustedtenía

nosotrosteníamos

vosotrosteníais

ellos/ellas/ustedestenían

subjunctive

present

yotenga

tútengas

él/ella/ustedtenga

nosotrostengamos

vosotrostengáis

ellos/ellas/ustedestengan

imperfect

yotuviera

tútuvieras

él/ella/ustedtuviera

nosotrostuviéramos

vosotrostuvierais

ellos/ellas/ustedestuvieran

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ten

Question 1 of 2

You are handing your friend a book they asked for. What is the most natural thing to say?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

tener(to have) - verb

mantener(to maintain) - verb

obtener(to obtain) - verb

detener(to stop / to detain) - verb

sostener(to hold / to sustain) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'ten' and 'toma'?

They are very similar and often interchangeable when handing something to someone. 'Ten' comes from 'tener' (to have), so it's like saying 'have this'. 'Toma' comes from 'tomar' (to take), so it's like saying 'take this'. Both are very common and informal.

Can I use 'ten' with my teacher?

It's better not to. 'Ten' is informal, for friends and family. With a teacher, you should use the formal command 'tenga' to show respect. For example, 'Tenga, aquí está mi tarea' (Here is my homework).