tuvieran
too-vee-EH-ran
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Esperaba que mis amigos no **tuvieran** problemas en el viaje.
B1I hoped that my friends **didn't have** problems on the trip.
Si ellos **tuvieran** más dinero, comprarían una casa grande.
B2If they **had** more money, they would buy a big house.
El jefe exigió que todos los empleados **tuvieran** el informe listo.
B2The boss demanded that all the employees **had** the report ready.
💡 Grammar Points
The Imperfect Subjunctive's Role
This form, tuvieran, is used when the main part of the sentence expresses an emotion, desire, doubt, or requirement that happened in the past. It shows that the possession or state ('having' something) was uncertain or dependent on someone else's feelings.
Conditional Sentences
A very common use is in 'if...then' sentences. Tuvieran sets up the hypothetical condition: 'Si tuvieran (If they had), then they would do something.'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Subjunctive with Simple Past
Mistake: "No creí que ellos **tenían** el mapa."
Correction: No creí que ellos **tuvieran** el mapa. (The doubt 'No creí' requires the special Subjunctive form, not the simple past form *tenían*.)
⭐ Usage Tips
The 'They/You All' Form
Remember tuvieran is only for the third-person plural (ellos/ellas) and the formal second-person plural (ustedes). It always refers to a group.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
imperfect
present
preterite
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: tuvieran
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses *tuvieran* to express a past doubt?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between *tuvieran* and *tuviesen*?
They are exactly the same! Both *tuvieran* (the -ra form) and *tuviesen* (the -se form) are correct ways to conjugate the imperfect subjunctive for 'ellos/ustedes.' The -ra form (*tuvieran*) is much more common today, especially in Latin America and Spain.
How is *tuvieran* different from *tuvieron*?
*Tuvieron* is the simple past (Preterite) and describes a definite action that happened once: 'They had the tickets.' *Tuvieran* is the Subjunctive and describes an uncertain, wished-for, or hypothetical action: 'I hoped they had the tickets.'