The verb tener (to have) in Spanish is one of the most useful verbs as you begin to learn Spanish. It’s essential to learn to say “have” in Spanish to talk about possessions and relationships. This powerhouse verb will expand your communication skills because of how it’s used differently than in English. This guide will help you start with the basic present tense conjugation of tener and some of the most common expressions that use it.
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How to conjugate tener (to have) in Spanish
As an irregular Spanish verb you’ll need to learn six different forms of tener that don’t follow a predictable pattern like regular verbs do. The best way to master these forms is to familiarize yourself with this helpful chart so they’ll make sense when you see them in action.
| yo tengo | I have | nosotros tenemos | we have |
| tú tienes | you have (singular, informal) | vosotros tenéis | you have (plural, informal) |
| él/ella/usted tiene | He/she/it hasyou have (singular, formal) | ellos/ellas/ustedes tienen | they haveyou have (plural) |
With this helpful information, you can now conjugate some more advanced verbs, such as mantener (to maintain), obtener (to obtain/to get), and entretener (to distract/to entertain). Just add on the right Spanish prefix!
>>Want to move beyond the present tense? Learn all 18 Spanish verb tenses.
Use tener to talk about your possessions and relationships
In many ways, “I have” in Spanish is used in the same way as English.
- No tengo coche, pero tengo un pase de autobús. = I don’t have a car, but I have a bus pass.
- Tengo tres sobrinos. Mi hermana tiene dos hijos y mi hermano tiene una hija. = I have five nieces and nephews. My sister has two children and my brother has a daughter.
You can also form questions in Spanish by using “do you have,” or any other forms of tener that match your subject.
- ¿Tienes preguntas? = Do you have questions?
- La maestra tiene la respuesta. = The teacher has the answer.
Use tener to talk about your age in Spanish
In Spanish, you discuss our edad (age) by stating the number of “years we have” instead of the “age we are.”
- ¿Cuántos años tienes? = How old are you?
- Yo tengo 15 años y mi hermana tiene 11. = I’m 15 and my sister is 11.
The literal translations of these phrases would be “How many years do you have?” in Spanish, with the answer “I have 15 years and my sister has 11.” This is just one of the basic Spanish phrases that uses tener for everyday conversation.
Talk about obligations with tener que
If you have an obligation, one of your options to express it is the phrase tener que (to have to).
- Tengo que irme. = I have to leave.
- Tienes que limpiar la cocina. = You have to clean the kitchen.
- Tenemos que estudiar mucho. = We have to study a lot.
Discuss wishes with tener ganas de
To talk about what you feel like doing, use the phrase tener ganas de followed by an infinitive verb.
- Tengo ganas de viajar. = I feel like traveling.
- El perro no tiene ganas de caminar hoy. = The dog doesn’t feel like walking today.
- ¿Tienes ganas de tomar un cafecito? = Do you feel like getting a coffee?
Express certain feelings with the verb ‘have’ in Spanish
There are a few expressions for physical sensations and some idiomatic expressions that use the verb “to have” in Spanish, rather than “am.”
- Tengo hambre. = I have hunger. (I’m hungry)
- Tiene sed. = She has thirst. (She’s thirsty).
- ¿Tienes frío? = Do you have cold? (Are you cold?)
With many of these expressions, use the correct form of tener (to have) in Spanish where you’d normally use a form of “to be” in English.
| Spanish | English |
| tener calor | to be hot |
| tener frío | to be cold |
| tener en cuenta | to take into account |
| tener éxito | to be successful |
| tener hambre | to be hungry |
| tener la culpa | to be guilty |
| tener lugar | to take place |
| tener miedo | to be afraid |
| tener prisa | to be in a hurry |
| tener razón/no tener razón | to be correct/to be incorrect |
| tener sed | to be thirsty |
| tener sueño | to be sleepy |
| tener suerte | to be lucky |
Communicate with confidence using ‘have’ in Spanish
Using the phrase “do you have” in Spanish can help you start a conversation in a shop or restaurant, and throwing in an idiomatic expression such as tengo mucha sed (I’m very thirsty) can help you meet your needs. Even as a beginner, you can impress native speakers with the endless uses of “have” in Spanish, as this versatile verb can help you express possessions, relationship, age, obligations, wishes, and feelings.
Instead of relying on mere memorization of all these facts, you can master “have” in Spanish. Rosetta Stone works by providing you with authentic contexts to see tener in action so that you can tener confianza (to have confidence) and communicate clearly from day one.
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