teníamos
/te-NEE-ah-mohs/
we had
We had (possession): Teníamos una cometa. (We had a kite.)
teníamos(Verb)
we had
?possession of an object
,we used to have
?repeated or continuous possession in the past
📝 In Action
Cuando éramos niños, teníamos un perro llamado Fido.
A2When we were kids, we had a dog named Fido.
Antes teníamos más tiempo libre para jugar.
A2Before, we used to have more free time to play.
💡 Grammar Points
Describing the Past with 'Teníamos'
Use 'teníamos' to talk about things you had or situations that were true for a period of time in the past, not just for a single moment. It sets the scene, like 'we had a car' or 'we had a lot of work'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
'Teníamos' vs. 'Tuvimos'
Mistake: "Ayer, teníamos una reunión a las 3."
Correction: Ayer, tuvimos una reunión a las 3. Use 'tuvimos' for events that started and ended at a specific point in the past. Use 'teníamos' for ongoing states or habits, like 'Teníamos reuniones todos los lunes' (We used to have meetings every Monday).
⭐ Usage Tips
Setting the Scene in a Story
'Teníamos' is perfect for describing the background of a story. For example: 'Era una noche oscura y teníamos mucho miedo...' (It was a dark night and we were very scared...).
We were (physical state/feeling): Teníamos frío. (We were cold.)
teníamos(Verb)
we were
?describing age, feelings, or physical states like hunger, cold, etc.
we felt
?describing feelings like fear or sleepiness
📝 In Action
En 2010, teníamos veinte años.
A2In 2010, we were twenty years old.
No desayunamos, así que teníamos mucha hambre.
A2We didn't eat breakfast, so we were very hungry.
Teníamos miedo de la oscuridad.
A2We were afraid of the dark.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Tener' for Feelings and States
In Spanish, you often 'have' a feeling instead of 'being' it. For example, you 'have' hunger ('tener hambre') or 'have' age ('tener veinte años'). 'Teníamos' means 'we were' in these special phrases.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Not 'Estábamos Hambre'
Mistake: "Estábamos hambre."
Correction: Teníamos hambre. Remember the key phrases: 'tener hambre' (to be hungry), 'tener sed' (to be thirsty), and 'tener ... años' (to be ... years old). These always use 'tener', not 'estar' or 'ser'.
We had to (obligation): Teníamos que limpiar. (We had to clean up.)
📝 In Action
Teníamos que estudiar mucho para el examen.
A2We had to study a lot for the exam.
Cada día, teníamos que levantarnos a las seis de la mañana.
B1Every day, we had to get up at six in the morning.
💡 Grammar Points
Saying 'We Had To...'
To talk about something you were obligated to do in the past, just use 'teníamos que' followed by the basic form of a verb (like 'hablar', 'comer', 'vivir'). It's a simple and very useful formula for past obligations.
⭐ Usage Tips
Ongoing vs. One-Time Obligation
Use 'teníamos que' for obligations that were repeated ('Teníamos que ir a la escuela') or ongoing ('Teníamos que terminar el proyecto'). For a specific, one-time obligation that was completed, you'll often use 'tuvimos que'.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: teníamos
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'teníamos' to describe a background situation in a story?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the main difference between 'teníamos' and 'tuvimos'?
Think of it like this: 'teníamos' is for describing a situation or a habit in the past ('We had a small car', 'We used to have meetings on Mondays'). It's like a movie scene's background. 'Tuvimos' is for a specific action or event that started and finished ('We had a meeting yesterday', 'We had a problem and solved it'). It's the main action in the scene.
Why do you say 'teníamos veinte años' for 'we were twenty' instead of using 'ser' or 'estar'?
It's a great question! Spanish uses the verb 'tener' (to have) for age, along with many physical states like hunger, thirst, and cold. You literally 'have' your years. It's a set pattern you just have to memorize, but once you get it, it becomes natural.