tenerlo

teh-NER-lohteˈneɾlo

“tenerlo” means “to have it” in Spanish (Possessing a specific object).

to have it, to hold it

Also: to keep it, to get it

VerbA1irregular (stem-changing and special forms) er

A stylized, smiling person standing and holding a single bright red apple firmly in their hand, illustrating possession.

infinitivetener

gerundteniéndolo

past Participletenido

📝 In Action

Quiero tenerlo en mis manos antes de pagar.

I want to have it in my hands before paying.

Es importante tenerlo listo para la reunión.

It is important to have it ready for the meeting.

Si no lo entiendes, te lo puedo explicar. ¿Lo puedes tenerlo?

If you don't understand it, I can explain it to you. Can you grasp it (understand it)?

Word Connections

Synonyms

poseerlo (to possess it)
agarrarlo (to grab it)

Common Collocations

tenerlo en cuenta – to bear it in mind
tenerlo todo – to have everything

Indicative

Present

yotengo

tútienes

él/ella/ustedtiene

nosotrostenemos

vosotrostenéis

ellos/ellas/ustedestienen

Imperfect

yotenía

tútenías

él/ella/ustedtenía

nosotrosteníamos

vosotrosteníais

ellos/ellas/ustedestenían

Preterite

yotuve

tútuviste

él/ella/ustedtuvo

nosotrostuvimos

vosotrostuvisteis

ellos/ellas/ustedestuvieron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yotenga

tútengas

él/ella/ustedtenga

nosotrostengamos

vosotrostengáis

ellos/ellas/ustedestengan

Imperfect Subjunctive

yotuviera

tútuvieras

él/ella/ustedtuviera

nosotrostuviéramos

vosotrostuvierais

ellos/ellas/ustedestuvieran

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: tenerlo

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses the pronoun 'lo' when the verb 'tener' is conjugated in the present tense?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

tener(to have) — Verb

lo(it / him) — Pronoun

tenencia(possession / tenure) — Noun

🎵 Rhymes▼

quererloverlo

📚 Etymology▼

'Tenerlo' is a combination of the verb 'tener' and the pronoun 'lo'. 'Tener' comes from the Latin verb *tenere*, meaning 'to hold, grasp, or keep.' The pronoun 'lo' comes from the Latin demonstrative pronoun *illum*, meaning 'that' or 'him/it,' which evolved into the modern direct object pronoun.

First recorded: The base verb 'tener' has been in use since the earliest Romance languages. The practice of attaching object pronouns to infinitives and gerunds is a fundamental feature of Spanish grammar dating back centuries.

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: tê-loItalian: tenerlo

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Frequently Asked Questions

If 'tenerlo' means 'to have it,' how do I say 'I have it'?

You must separate the pronoun 'lo' from the verb and put it before the conjugated form: 'Yo lo tengo.' The combined form 'tenerlo' is usually only used when the verb is paired with another verb (e.g., 'Quiero tenerlo').

Is 'tenerlo' the only way to say 'to have it'?

Yes, if 'it' is a masculine noun (like 'el libro') or an abstract concept. If 'it' refers to a feminine noun (like 'la llave'), you would use the feminine pronoun 'la', resulting in 'tenerla' (to have her/it).