tenías
/te-NEE-ahs/
you had
When you were a child, tenías (you had) a lot of toys. This illustrates past possession.
tenías(Verb)
you had
?possession of an object, quality, or idea
you used to have
?emphasizing a repeated or habitual state in the past
📝 In Action
Cuando eras niño, tenías muchos juguetes.
A2When you were a child, you had a lot of toys.
Me dijiste que tenías una idea brillante para el proyecto.
B1You told me you had a brilliant idea for the project.
Antes tenías el pelo más largo, ¿verdad?
A2You used to have longer hair before, right?
💡 Grammar Points
Describing the Past with 'Tenías'
'Tenías' is used to talk about things you had or situations that were true over a period of time in the past. Think of it for setting a scene in a story, like 'It was a dark night and you had a strange feeling...'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Ongoing Past vs. A Single Moment
Mistake: "Using 'tenías' for a one-time event. For example, 'Ayer, tenías un paquete en la puerta.' (Yesterday, you were having a package at the door.)"
Correction: For single, completed actions, use 'tuviste'. The correct sentence is: 'Ayer, tuviste un paquete en la puerta.' (Yesterday, you got/had a package at the door.) Use 'tenías' for background info: 'Cuando llegué, tenías un paquete en las manos.' (When I arrived, you were holding a package.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Setting the Scene
Use 'tenías' to paint a picture of the past. Describe what someone was like, what they habitually owned, or the general situation before the main action of a story happens.
Tenías (you were/felt) cold. In Spanish, physical sensations like cold, hunger, and fear are things you 'have' in the past (imperfect tense).
tenías(Verb)
you were
?used with age, e.g., 'you were 10 years old'
you felt / you were feeling
?used with sensations like hunger, cold, fear, sleepiness
📝 In Action
En esa foto, tenías solo cinco años.
A1In that photo, you were only five years old.
Siempre tenías frío en la casa de tu abuela.
A2You were always cold at your grandmother's house.
Recuerdo que tenías mucho miedo de la oscuridad.
A2I remember that you were very afraid of the dark.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Tener' for 'To Be'
In Spanish, you don't 'are' hungry or 'are' ten years old; you 'have' hunger and 'have' ten years. 'Tenías' is how you say this in the past, like 'you were hungry' or 'you were ten years old'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Estar' instead of 'Tener'
Mistake: "Creía que estabas hambre. (I thought you were hungry.)"
Correction: Creía que tenías hambre. In Spanish, many feelings and physical states are things you 'have' (tener), not states you 'are in' (estar).
⭐ Usage Tips
Memorize the Phrases
The best way to master this is to learn phrases like 'tener frío' (to be cold) and 'tener años' (to be... years old) as single vocabulary items. Then, using 'tenías' with them becomes natural.
Tenías que (you had to) finish your work. This shows a necessary past obligation.
📝 In Action
Tenías que terminar la tarea antes de salir.
A2You had to finish the homework before going out.
¿Por qué no viniste? ¿Tenías que trabajar?
B1Why didn't you come? Did you have to work?
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Tener que + Action' Formula
To say 'you had to do something' in the past, use the simple formula: 'tenías que' + the basic, unchanged form of the action verb (like 'hablar', 'comer', 'vivir').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting 'que'
Mistake: "Tenías estudiar más. (You had study more.)"
Correction: Tenías que estudiar más. The little word 'que' is essential! It's the bridge that connects 'tenías' to the action you had to do.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: tenías
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'tenías' to describe a past situation?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'tenías' and 'tuviste'?
Great question! Both mean 'you had', but they talk about the past in different ways. Use 'tenías' for descriptions, ongoing situations, or repeated actions in the past (what you 'used to have' or 'were having'). Use 'tuviste' for specific, completed actions that happened at a single point in time (what you 'had' or 'got' at that moment). For example: 'Cuando eras niño, tenías una bici roja.' (When you were a kid, you had a red bike - ongoing situation). 'Ayer, tuviste una carta.' (Yesterday, you got a letter - single event).