tener
“tener” means “to have” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
to have
Also: to own, to possess
📝 In Action
Tengo un coche nuevo.
A1I have a new car.
¿Tienes hermanos?
A1Do you have siblings?
Ella tiene el pelo largo.
A1She has long hair.
to be (... years old)
📝 In Action
¿Cuántos años tienes?
A1How old are you?
Mi abuela tiene noventa años.
A1My grandmother is ninety years old.
to be (hungry, thirsty, hot, etc.)
📝 In Action
Tengo hambre. ¿Comemos algo?
A1I'm hungry. Shall we eat something?
Los niños tienen sueño.
A1The children are sleepy.
Si tienes calor, abre la ventana.
A1If you're hot, open the window.
Ella tiene miedo de las arañas.
A2She is afraid of spiders.
to have to (do something)
Also: must (do something)
📝 In Action
Tengo que estudiar para el examen.
A2I have to study for the exam.
Tenemos que irnos ahora.
A2We have to leave now.
Mañana tienes que levantarte temprano.
A2Tomorrow you have to get up early.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: tener
Question 1 of 2
Which of these sentences is INCORRECT in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'tenēre', which meant 'to hold, to keep, to possess'. You can see how this core idea of 'holding' something extends to all its modern uses, from holding an object to holding an obligation.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'tener' and 'haber'?
'Tener' is mainly for possession ('I have a car' -> 'Tengo un coche'). 'Haber' is a helper verb for more complex tenses ('I have eaten' -> 'He comido') and is also used as 'hay' to say 'there is' or 'there are'.
Why do you say 'tengo frío' instead of 'estoy frío'?
It's a fixed expression in Spanish. Think of it as 'having the feeling of cold'. If you say 'estoy frío', it means your body is cold to the touch, like a robot or a glass of water, not that you feel cold.
Is 'tener' always irregular?
Yes, it's one of the most common irregular verbs! Its forms change in almost every tense, so it's a great one to memorize early on. The patterns you learn from 'tener' will help you with many other verbs like 'mantener' and 'contener'.