Spanish The Verb “to have”

The Spanish verb tener means “to have” — and it is one of the first verbs every learner needs, because it shows up everywhere: describing what you own, how old you are, how you feel, and what you have to do. It is also irregular, so it is worth learning carefully. This guide walks you through what tener means, how to conjugate it in the present tense, the common expressions that use it, and how to practice it in real conversation.

Tener at a glance

• Meaning: to have, to possess (and, in many expressions, “to be”).
• Type: an irregular -ER verb that both stem-changes (e→ie) and is a yo-go verb (yo tengo).
• Present tense: tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tenéis, tienen.

What does “tener” mean?

In its base form, tener means to have or to possess — “I have a car,” “she has two brothers.” It works just like the English verb “to have” when you are talking about owning something. But tener also appears in many common expressions where English would use “to be” (for example, “to be hungry” or “to be 30 years old”). We will cover those below, because they are some of the most useful phrases you can learn.

Tener conjugation in the present tense

Because tener ends in -ER, it starts from the regular -ER endings, but two things make it irregular: the yo form adds a -g- (tengo), and the stem changes from e to ie in every form except nosotros and vosotros.

Why the “yo” form is special

Notice that yo tengo does not stem-change like the others — instead it adds a g. That makes tener part of the small “yo-go” family (like hacer→hago, poner→pongo). If you have already met another stem-change verb such as querer (to want), the e→ie pattern in the other forms will look familiar.

Tener expressions you’ll actually use

Here is where tener becomes really practical. Spanish uses tener + a noun for many states that English expresses with “to be.” These expressions come up constantly in real conversation, so they are worth memorizing as whole phrases.

Examples: Tengo treinta años. (I am 30 years old.) · ¿Tienes hambre? (Are you hungry?) · Tenemos prisa. (We are in a hurry.)

Tener que = “to have to”

One more high-value pattern: tener que + infinitive means to have to do something. It is how you talk about obligations and plans every day.

• Tengo que trabajar mañana. – I have to work tomorrow.
• Tienes que practicar un poco cada día. – You have to practice a little every day.
• Tenemos que llamar al cliente. – We have to call the client.

Real-world and workplace examples

Because tener covers possession, age, feelings, and obligations, it is one of the verbs that pays off fastest at work and while traveling:

• Healthcare: ¿Tiene dolor aquí? – Do you have pain here? · El paciente tiene fiebre. – The patient has a fever.
• Hospitality: ¿Tienen una reservación? – Do you have a reservation?
• Everyday: Tengo dos hijos. – I have two children.

Practice tener with a live instructor

Tables make conjugation look simple, but using tener naturally — choosing the right form mid-sentence and reaching for the right expression — takes real practice. In live CORE Languages classes, a professional instructor helps you build that confidence through guided conversation, not memorization alone. Practice with a live Spanish instructor and put tener to work in real sentences.

Frequently asked questions