The verb TENER in the present tense

Spanish: El verbo TENER en presente

Level: A1 Beginner

Category: verbs

Explanation

The verb "tener" is one of the most important and useful verbs in Spanish. It means "to have" and is used to indicate possession, family relationships, age, physical sensations, and many everyday expressions. It is an irregular verb, which means it does not follow the normal pattern of -er verbs. In the present indicative, "tener" is conjugated as follows: yo tengo, tú tienes, él/ella/usted tiene, nosotros tenemos, vosotros tenéis, ellos/ellas/ustedes tienen. Notice that the first person (yo tengo) adds a "g", and that in several forms the "e" changes to "ie" (tienes, tiene, tienen). This is called a stem-changing verb. Besides indicating possession ("Tengo un libro" - I have a book), "tener" is part of many idiomatic expressions where English uses the verb "to be". For example: "tener hambre" (to be hungry), "tener sed" (to be thirsty), "tener ... años" (to be ... years old), "tener frío" (to be cold), and "tener calor" (to be hot). In these expressions we never use "ser" or "estar". We also use "tener que + infinitive" to express obligation, equivalent to "have to" in English: "Tengo que estudiar" (I have to study). Mastering this verb will let you communicate in countless daily situations, from ordering at a café to talking about your family.

Examples

• Yo tengo una mesa para dos personas. - I have a table for two people.
• Tu tienes la llave de la habitacion? - Do you have the room key?
• El camarero tiene la cuenta lista. - The waiter has the bill ready.
• Tengo mucha hambre, quiero comer algo. - I am very hungry, I want to eat something.
• Cuantos anos tienes? - How old are you?