Key points about expressions with 'tener' in Spanish
- The verb Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. means 'to have'.
- Tener is an Something that does not follow the usual or 鈥榬egular鈥 pattern. verb.
- There are some common expressions in Spanish that use tener (to have) where in English the verb 'to be' would be used.
Video - The verb 'tener'
Watch this video to understand how to use the verb tener in Spanish.
The verb 'tener' in Spanish means 'to have'
How to use the verb 'to have' in Spanish.
In Spanish, the verb 鈥榯o have鈥 (tener) is very useful.
滨迟鈥檚 tengo - I have
tienes - you have
tiene - he/she/it has
Tengo un port谩til - I have a laptop.
T煤 tienes un port谩til - You have a laptop.
Mi primo tiene pecas - My cousin has freckles.
There are some phrases in English where you would say 'I am' but in Spanish you would say 鈥業 have鈥:
Tengo calor or tengo fr铆o,
And in phrases like tengo sue帽o (鈥業鈥檓 tired鈥) or tengo hambre (鈥業鈥檓 hungry鈥).
Just like for any verb, you can put no in front of it to make it negative.
No tengo hambre (鈥業鈥檓 not hungry鈥) or no tengo sue帽o (鈥業鈥檓 not tired鈥).
You use it to say how old someone or something is.
Tengo diecisiete a帽os - I am seventeen years old.
Remember, when you鈥檙e talking about someone else tengo becomes tiene.
Mi madrastra tiene cuarenta a帽os - My step-mum is forty years old.
If you want to say you have to do something, you put que after the verb tener.
I have to - tengo que.
Tengo que hacer mis deberes - I have to do my homework.
How to conjugate the verb 'tener' in Spanish
Tener is an irregular verb and is A verb that is not in the infinitive form but has been changed to match the subject of the verb, for example I go, he goes. as follows:
| tener | to have |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I have |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you (singular informal) have |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | he/she/you (singular formal) has |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | we have |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you (plural informal) have |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | they/you (plural formal) have |
Common phrases that use 'tener'
Here are some common phrases in Spanish that use the verb tener, where in English they would be formed with the verb 鈥榯o be.鈥
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to be sleepy |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to be right |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to be thirsty |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to be hungry |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to be hot |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to be cold |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to be scared |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to be successful |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to be lucky |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | to be careful |
For example:
Siempre tengo raz贸n. - I鈥檓 always right.
驴Tienes hambre? - Are you hungry?
No, no tengo hambre, pero tengo sed. - No, I am not hungry, but I am thirsty.
Tengo fr铆o, voy a ponerme un jersey. - I am cold, I am going to put a jumper on.
Mi hermana tiene sue帽o. - My sister is sleepy.
Mis padres tienen suerte. - My parents are lucky.
Expressions with 'tener' - Mini quiz
Translate the following into Spanish:
I am cold.
Tengo fr铆o.
Translate the following into Spanish:
He is scared.
Tiene miedo.
Quiz - Expressions with 'tener'
Practise what you've learned about expressions with tener in Spanish with this quiz.
Now you have learned about expressions with tener in Spanish why not explore por and para in Spanish?
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