tuviste

/too-VEES-teh/

you had

A happy child holds a bright red toy ball tightly in their hands, illustrating possession in the past.

Visualizing "you had" (possession or completed action).

tuviste(Verb (conjugated form))

A1highly irregular er

you had

(possession, completed action)

Also:

you got

(to receive or obtain something)

you held

(to grasp, depending on context)

📝 In Action

¿Qué coche tuviste cuando eras joven?

What car did you have when you were young?

Tuviste mucha suerte en la lotería la semana pasada.

You had a lot of luck in the lottery last week.

Lamentablemente, tuviste un accidente en el camino.

Unfortunately, you had an accident on the way.

💡 Grammar Points

The 'You' Form

This form, 'tuviste', is the conjugation you use when speaking directly to one friend, child, or familiar person (tú) about something they did.

Completed Past Action

Use 'tuviste' when the action of 'having' or 'getting' happened and finished at a specific point in the past (like yesterday, last week, or 10 years ago).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'tuviste' for Ongoing States

Mistake: "¿Cuántos años tuviste cuando viajaste?"

Correction: ¿Cuántos años tenías cuando viajaste? 'Tenías' (imperfect) is used for describing age in the past, which is usually seen as an ongoing state.

⭐ Usage Tips

The 'UV' Irregularity

The preterite tense of 'tener' is highly irregular because the 'T-E-N' root disappears and is replaced by 'T-UV.' Memorize the 'tuv-' sound for all simple past forms.

A person dressed in simple clothing rubs their empty stomach with a large, expressive look of hunger on their face.

Visualizing "you were" (referring to a physical state like hungry or cold).

tuviste(Verb (conjugated form))

A2highly irregular er

you were

(referring to physical states: hungry, cold, scared)

Also:

you had to

(necessity, used with 'que')

📝 In Action

Llegaste tarde porque tuviste que ir al médico.

You arrived late because you had to go to the doctor.

Cuando viste esa araña, ¿tuviste miedo?

When you saw that spider, were you scared?

Tuviste razón al no aceptar esa oferta.

You were right not to accept that offer.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

tuviste que + infinitivo – you had to + verb
tuviste suerte – you were lucky/had luck
tuviste razón – you were right

💡 Grammar Points

Tener for States (Preterite vs. Imperfect)

Use 'tuviste' for a feeling that happened suddenly and ended (e.g., 'Tuviste un ataque de risa' - You had a fit of laughter). Use 'tenías' for a general state over time (e.g., 'Tenías frío' - You were cold [for a while]).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: tuviste

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'tuviste' to talk about a completed, specific action in the past?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

tener(to have) - verb

tenía(you/I used to have (imperfect)) - verb

tuve(I had (preterite)) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'tuviste' so different from 'tener'?

'Tuviste' is the simple past (preterite) of 'tener.' Spanish verbs often become highly irregular in this tense. 'Tener' is one of the most important verbs to memorize because it changes its root from 'ten-' to 'tuv-' in the simple past forms.

When should I use 'tuviste' instead of 'tenías'?

Use 'tuviste' when the action of having or experiencing happened once and is finished (e.g., 'You had a good idea'). Use 'tenías' (the descriptive past) when describing an ongoing or repeated past state (e.g., 'You were 10 years old' or 'You often had trouble').