No indefinite article
(un, una, unos, unas) is necessary for things we are likely to only have one of (e.g., a pen, a partner, a car), pluralNo definition set for pluralLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. nouns, and uncountable nounsNo definition set for uncountable nounsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum..
How to use the verb ‘tener’ in Spanish?
The verb tener ("to have ") is a versatile one in Spanish. For example, did you know that in Spanish we say “I am hungry” using the verb tener: tengo hambre . This number of uses makes it very helpful to learn when speaking or writing in everyday Spanish; we use tener to talk about ownership, obligation, age, and many other expressions. Do you want to know what these uses are? You can have all this information if you keep reading! Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Tener has uses that are equivalent to “to have” in English. Let's start with the uses that are similar to English.
To express possession
When we possess something we express it with the verb tener. For example,
Estoy muy feliz desde que tengo una casa en la playa.
I am very happy since I own a house on the beach.
This use also includes the description of the different elements or components objects have.
Mi casa de la playa tiene cuatro habitaciones y una piscina.
My beach house has four rooms and a swimming pool.
El cuerpo humano tiene 206 huesos.
The human body has 206 bones.
Important
To describe relationships
To talk about family relationships and other relationships such as friends we use the verb tener.
Important
No personal a is needed between the verb tener and the direct object, even when they are animate objects.
With expressions of time
To express time you have available:
Tengo 24 horas para entregar el documento.
I have 24 hours to hand the document in.
En el trabajo tenemos una hora para comer.
At work we have one hour for lunch.
To express how long an activity has been occuring:
Tengo dos horas intentando abrir la puerta.
I have spent two hours trying to open the door.
Tenemos diez años viviendo en esta casa.
We have lived in this house for ten years.
For physical descriptions
Use tener to describe a person’s hair, eyes, nose, mouth, and other physical traits. Look at Laura’s picture and follow the descriptions below.
Laura tiene el cabello largo, rizado y castaño y tiene los ojos verdes.
Laura has long, wavy, brown hair and green eyes.
Tip
Notice that definite articles
(el/la/los/las) are used when describing body parts.
Tener also has uses that are not equivalent to “to have” in English. Let's see what these uses are.
To express age
Unlike English, age is expressed in Spanish with the verb tener.
Laura tiene 25 años.
Laura is 25 years old.
This also applies to pets and non-living nouns such as buildings. For example:
Karma, mi gata, tiene dos años.
Karma, my cat, is two years old.
La catedral de Guadalajara es una de las más antiguas de Latinoamérica. Tiene 403 años.
Guadalajara’s cathedral is one of the oldest in Latin America. It’s 403 years old.
Expressions with ‘tener’ + noun
Tener is also used to express physical needs, moods, or states and ailments. In English, the equivalent of these expressions use the verb “to be” + adjectiveNo definition set for adjectiveLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.. Let’s check some examples:
To express physical needs such as:
Tener hambre/sed ("to be hungry/ thirsty"), tener sueño ("to be sleepy"), tener frío/calor ("to feel hot/cold")¡Este es un mal día para Gabriel! Tiene sueño, hambre, y frío. Tiene dolor de cabeza y por eso tiene mala cara.
This is a bad day for Gabriel! He is sleepy, hungry, and cold. He has a headache and that’s why he’s in a bad mood.
Important
The expressions tener frío and tener calor are used when we are talking about humans or animals.
Nosotros tenemos frío.We’re cold.El gato tiene calor.The cat is (feels) hot.When we refer to the temperature of things, we use the verbs ser/estar ("to be") + adjective instead.
La sopa está caliente.The soup is hot.Important
Notice the difference between tener sueño ("to be sleepy") and tener un sueño ("to have a dream"):
Luis no durmió bien, tiene sueño.Luis didn’t sleep well, he’s sleepy.Luis tiene un sueño. Quiere ser cantante.Luis has a dream. He wants to be a singer.Important
These nounsNo definition set for nounsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. can be modified with adjectives (mucho/a, poco/a ("a lot/a little")). Remember that adjectives agreeNo definition set for agreeLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. in genderNo definition set for genderLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. and numberNo definition set for numberLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. with the noun they modify.
Tengo mucha hambre.I am very hungry.Tenemos mucho calor.We’re very hot.Although this is the equivalent to the word “very” in English, as in “I'm very hungry,” never use the word muy ("very") to describe nouns.
Physical states or moods:
Tener is also used to express other physical states like being in a good/bad mood.Marco siempre está enojado, pero hoy tiene buena cara.
Marco is always angry, but today he’s in a good mood.
(lit.) he has a good face.
For ailments or symptoms:
Similar to English, tener is used to express ailments or symptoms like tener fiebre ("to have a fever") or tener dolor de + body part ("to have body aches ").Me siento muy mal. Tengo gripa y tengo dolor de oído.
I don’t feel well. I have the flu and I have an earache.
‘Tener que’ + infinitive
Obligation, advice, and deduction in Spanish can be expressed using the phrase tener que + infinitiveNo definition set for infinitiveLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.. For example,
Obligation:
Tengo que estudiar antes de presentar el examen.
I have to study before taking the exam.
Advice:
Tienes que ver al doctor pronto.
You should go see the doctor soon.
Deductions:
Tiene que ser el mensajero.
It must be the delivery man.
Tip
In some cases, tener que can also mean an invitation you often find in ads.
There are other ways to express obligation in Spanish, to learn more click the link!
‘Tener ganas de’ to express desire
Tener is also used in the expression tener ganas de + infinitive to say that the speaker feels like doing something.
Tengo ganas de nadar.
I feel like swimming.
¿Tienes ganas de seguir aprendiendo español?
Do you feel like learning more Spanish?
Common expressions with ‘tener’
Tener is also used in certain collocationsNo definition set for collocationsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.. In some cases, the English equivalent also requires the use of the verb “to have.”
But in some cases it doesn't:
For more common expressions with tener check out our list!
In summary
As you can see, tener is a very versatile verb. In many cases it’s similar to the English “to have,” but it’s used in many common Spanish expressions. Let’s recap the main uses:
To express possession, including expressions of time.
To describe relationships.
To express age.
To express physical needs, moods, and ailments.
To express obligation.
To express desire with tener ganas de...
With collocations where it combines with different nouns.
Ready to practice? Perfect! Here’s an activity to review the uses of tener. And if you want to review the conjugation of the verb tener, here are some tables for you!
Downloadable Resources
Elevate your language-learning journey to new heights with the following downloadable resources.
