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

tenerlo

teh-NER-loh

VerbA1irregular (stem-changing and special forms) er

to have it?Possessing a specific object,to hold it?Physically grasping something

Also:to keep it?Retaining possession,to get it?Figurative: to understand something

Quick Reference

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

💡 Grammar Points

The Meaning of 'Lo'

The 'lo' attached to the end of the verb means 'it' (referring to a masculine or general neuter thing) and is the direct recipient of the action 'to have'.

Pronoun Attachment Rule

'Lo' only attaches to the end of the verb when the verb is in its basic (infinitive) form (tenerlo), the '-ing' form (gerund: teniéndolo), or an affirmative command (e.g., ¡Tenlo! - Have it!).

Pronoun Detachment Rule

In all other tenses (Present, Past, Future), 'lo' must detach and move before the conjugated verb. Example: You don't say yo tengolo, you say yo lo tengo (I have it).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting the Accent

Mistake: "Escribiendo 'teniendo lo' o 'teniendolo'."

Correction: When attaching 'lo' to the gerund, you must add an accent mark to the third-to-last vowel to keep the stress correct: 'teniéndolo'.

Attaching in Finite Tenses

Mistake: "Diciendo 'Él tiene lo' o 'Él tenelo'."

Correction: Remember that in standard sentences, the pronoun goes before the conjugated verb: 'Él lo tiene' (He has it). The attached form 'tenerlo' is only for non-conjugated forms.

⭐ Usage Tips

Using 'Lo' for Concepts

'Lo' can refer not just to a physical object but also to an abstract concept or an entire idea you just mentioned. Example: 'Pensar en eso es difícil.' 'Sí, es difícil tenerlo en mente.' (Yes, it’s difficult to keep it in mind.)

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedtiene

yotengo

tútienes

ellos/ellas/ustedestienen

nosotrostenemos

vosotrostenéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedtenía

yotenía

tútenías

ellos/ellas/ustedestenían

nosotrosteníamos

vosotrosteníais

preterite

él/ella/ustedtuvo

yotuve

tútuviste

ellos/ellas/ustedestuvieron

nosotrostuvimos

vosotrostuvisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedtenga

yotenga

tútengas

ellos/ellas/ustedestengan

nosotrostengamos

vosotrostengáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedtuviera

yotuviera

tútuvieras

ellos/ellas/ustedestuvieran

nosotrostuviéramos

vosotrostuvierais

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

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).