How to Conjugate Tener in Spanish
Tener - to have
Present tense
How to Conjugate Spanish Verb Tener in the Present Tense
Conjugating the Spanish verb "tener" in the present tense is essential for learners, as "tener" is one of the most versatile and commonly used verbs in the language. Meaning "to have," "tener" is used both literally, for possession (like "I have a book"), and idiomatically in expressions that convey feelings, conditions, or obligations (such as "I am hungry" or "I have to study"). Understanding the present tense of "tener" is crucial because it appears in so many fundamental sentences and conversations.
"Tener" is an irregular verb in the present tense, with stem and ending changes that vary from the typical patterns seen in regular -er verbs. In the present tense, "tener" is conjugated as follows: "yo tengo" (I have), "tú tienes" (you have), "él/ella/usted tiene" (he/she/you formal have), "nosotros/nosotras tenemos" (we have), "vosotros/vosotras tenéis" (you all have), and "ellos/ellas/ustedes tienen" (they/you all formal have). In these forms, you’ll notice that the stem changes from "ten-" to "tien-" in all but the first-person plural ("nosotros/nosotras") and second-person plural ("vosotros/vosotras") forms. Additionally, the "yo" form is unique as it adds a "g," making it "tengo" instead of "teno."
Learning how to use "tener" in the present tense opens up many practical expressions in Spanish. For example, "tener hambre" means "to be hungry," "tener sed" means "to be thirsty," and "tener años" is the standard way of saying one’s age. Beyond these idioms, "tener" is frequently paired with "que" and an infinitive verb to express obligations, as in "tengo que estudiar" (I have to study). Mastering "tener" in the present tense will significantly improve your ability to communicate daily needs, feelings, and responsibilities, making it an essential verb for beginners and advanced learners alike.
| tengo | tenemos |
| tienes | tenéis |
| tiene | tienen |
Preterite Tense
How to Conjugate Spanish Verb Tener in the Preterite Tense
Conjugating "tener" in the preterite tense is essential for expressing past actions where someone "had" something or an obligation that was completed. In Spanish, the preterite of "tener" is irregular, making it distinct from regular -er verbs and essential to memorize for accurate communication. This tense is commonly used to talk about specific instances in the past, such as when you had a particular responsibility, experienced an event, or received something at a particular time.
In the preterite, "tener" is conjugated as follows: "yo tuve" (I had), "tú tuviste" (you had), "él/ella/usted tuvo" (he/she/you formal had), "nosotros/nosotras tuvimos" (we had), "vosotros/vosotras tuvisteis" (you all had), and "ellos/ellas/ustedes tuvieron" (they/you all formal had). Unlike the present tense, the preterite form of "tener" has a stem change from "ten-" to "tuv-" and uses specific irregular endings that replace the typical -er preterite endings. Each form in the preterite remains consistent in its irregularity, making it easier to learn once you memorize the "tuv-" stem.
The preterite tense of "tener" is useful in various contexts, such as explaining past obligations, possessions, or experiences. For example, "tuve que trabajar" means "I had to work," and "tuvieron un accidente" means "they had an accident." Mastering "tener" in the preterite tense enables learners to describe past events clearly, especially those that occurred at a specific moment or that are viewed as completed. This irregular conjugation may require extra practice, but it’s valuable for speaking accurately about past experiences or responsibilities.
| tuve | tuvimos |
| tuviste | tuvisteis |
| tuvo | tuvieron |
Future Tense
How to Conjugate Spanish Verb Tener in the Future Tense
Conjugating "tener" in the future tense in Spanish is crucial for discussing what someone "will have" in terms of possessions, experiences, or obligations. The future tense of "tener" is regular in its structure, making it simpler to learn than some of its irregular past forms. Using "tener" in the future tense lets you express intentions, predictions, or plans about what someone will hold, experience, or need to do.
In the future tense, "tener" is conjugated as follows: "yo tendré" (I will have), "tú tendrás" (you will have), "él/ella/usted tendrá" (he/she/you formal will have), "nosotros/nosotras tendremos" (we will have), "vosotros/vosotras tendréis" (you all will have), and "ellos/ellas/ustedes tendrán" (they/you all formal will have). In the future tense, "tener" takes on a modified stem, "tendr-," but otherwise follows the regular future tense endings across all forms. This predictable pattern makes it relatively easy to use "tener" when talking about future needs or plans.
The future tense of "tener" allows speakers to discuss a wide range of topics, from obligations to plans or future states. For instance, "tendré tiempo" means "I will have time," and "tendrán que estudiar" means "they will have to study." Whether talking about personal goals, future schedules, or what someone will need, the future tense of "tener" helps learners express future possibilities, adding clarity and direction to conversations about what lies ahead.
| tendré | tendremos |
| tendrás | tendréis |
| tendrá | tendrán |
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Imperfect Tense
How to Conjugate Spanish Verb Tener in the Imperfect Tense
Conjugating "tener" in the imperfect tense in Spanish is essential for discussing ongoing or habitual actions in the past where someone "used to have" something or "had" something over a period of time. The imperfect tense of "tener" is used when describing repeated actions, continuous states, or background information in a story. This tense is straightforward because "tener" is regular in the imperfect tense, making it easy to learn and apply.
In the imperfect, "tener" is conjugated as follows: "yo tenía" (I used to have), "tú tenías" (you used to have), "él/ella/usted tenía" (he/she/you formal used to have), "nosotros/nosotras teníamos" (we used to have), "vosotros/vosotras teníais" (you all used to have), and "ellos/ellas/ustedes tenían" (they/you all formal used to have). The stem "ten-" stays consistent throughout, while each form adopts regular imperfect endings that include an accented "í" to maintain pronunciation.
Using "tener" in the imperfect tense is helpful for expressing past routines, ongoing situations, or conditions. For example, "tenía muchas responsabilidades" means "I had many responsibilities," and "tenían una casa grande" means "they used to have a big house." This form is also commonly used when describing someone’s age in the past, as in "cuando tenía diez años" (when I was ten years old). With the imperfect tense of "tener," you can convey rich details about past experiences and conditions, adding context and depth to your stories and descriptions.
| tenía | teníamos |
| tenías | teníais |
| tenía | tenían |
Conditional Tense
How to Conjugate Spanish Verb Tener in the Conditional Tense
The conditional tense of the verb "tener" in Spanish is valuable for expressing hypothetical or polite statements where someone "would have" something under certain conditions. This tense is used for polite requests, imagined scenarios, or to talk about something that might happen if a condition is met. Like the future tense, the conditional tense of "tener" is regular in its endings but uses a modified stem, making it fairly straightforward to conjugate.
In the conditional tense, "tener" is conjugated as follows: "yo tendría" (I would have), "tú tendrías" (you would have), "él/ella/usted tendría" (he/she/you formal would have), "nosotros/nosotras tendríamos" (we would have), "vosotros/vosotras tendríais" (you all would have), and "ellos/ellas/ustedes tendrían" (they/you all formal would have). Each form keeps the modified stem "tendr-" and adds the regular conditional endings, which are the same for all verbs in this tense.
Using "tener" in the conditional allows speakers to discuss possibilities or polite suggestions, such as "tendría más tiempo si..." (I would have more time if...) or "tendríamos que pensar en eso" (we would have to think about that). Whether you’re considering an imagined future or making a courteous request, the conditional tense of "tener" is an essential tool for adding nuance to conversations, enabling you to talk about potential states, obligations, or possessions in a variety of contexts.
| tendría | tendríamos |
| tendrías | tendríais |
| tendría | tendrían |
Final Thoughts
Learning to conjugate "tener" across all tenses—present, preterite, imperfect, future, and conditional—provides an essential foundation for effective communication in Spanish. As a highly versatile verb, "tener" is used not only to express possession but also to convey feelings, age, obligations, and hypothetical scenarios. In the present tense, it allows you to describe what you "have" or need now; in the preterite, it helps mark completed actions in the past. The imperfect tense enables you to talk about continuous or habitual past actions, the future tense expresses plans or intentions, and the conditional opens up possibilities and polite statements. Knowing how to use "tener" across these tenses is key to fluency, giving you the ability to discuss both real and hypothetical experiences in Spanish.
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