tienen
“tienen” means “they have” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
they have, you have
Also: they own, they possess
📝 In Action
Ellos tienen un coche nuevo.
A1They have a new car.
Ustedes tienen dos hijos, ¿verdad?
A1You (all) have two children, right?
Mis vecinos tienen un perro muy ruidoso.
A2My neighbors have a very noisy dog.
they are, you are
📝 In Action
Mis hermanos tienen veinte y veintidós años.
A1My brothers are twenty and twenty-two years old.
Los gemelos tienen la misma edad.
A2The twins are the same age.
they are, you are
Also: they feel
📝 In Action
Los niños tienen hambre.
A1The children are hungry.
Si tienen frío, pueden cerrar la ventana.
A1If you (all) are cold, you can close the window.
Mis padres siempre tienen sueño después de comer.
A2My parents are always sleepy after eating.
Ellos tienen miedo de la oscuridad.
A2They are afraid of the dark.
they have to, you have to
Also: they must
📝 In Action
Tienen que estudiar para el examen.
A2They have to study for the exam.
Ustedes tienen que salir ahora.
A2You (all) have to leave now.
Los jugadores tienen que entrenar todos los días.
B1The players have to train every day.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "tienen" in Spanish:
they are→they feel→they have→they must→they own→they possess→you are→you have→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: tienen
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly uses a form of 'tener' to talk about age?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb 'tenēre', which meant 'to hold, to keep, to possess'. Over time, its meaning expanded in Spanish to cover many situations where English would use the verb 'to be', like for age and physical sensations.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'tienen' mean both 'they have' and 'they are'?
Great question! It doesn't mean 'they are' in every situation, only in specific cases that you can memorize. Think of 'tener' as meaning 'to possess' or 'to hold'. So, in Spanish, you 'possess years' (for age), you 'hold hunger' (for being hungry), and you 'hold coldness' (for being cold). It's a different way of thinking about these states compared to English.
What's the difference between 'tienen' and 'han'?
This is a common point of confusion. Use 'tienen' when you're talking about possession ('They have a car'). Use 'han' as a helper verb to form more complex tenses, like 'They have eaten' ('Ellos han comido'). So, if 'have' is the main action, use 'tienen'. If it's helping another verb, use 'han'.
When do I use 'tienen' vs 'tenéis'?
'Tienen' is for 'ellos/ellas/ustedes' (they/you all). 'Tenéis' is for 'vosotros/vosotras' (you all, informal). 'Vosotros' is used almost exclusively in Spain. In Latin America and for formal situations in Spain, you'll always use 'tienen' for 'you all'.