tener
verbCEFR A1High frequency
What does “tener” mean in English?
to have
Example sentences
Tengo dos hermanos.
I have two siblings.
Tengo veinte años.
I'm twenty years old.
Tengo hambre.
I'm hungry.
How to use it
Tener means 'to have' (possession). Irregular with stem change e→ie: tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tenéis, tienen. Used for ages, hunger, fear, possession.
Common mistake
Spanish uses tener (not ser) for ages, hunger, thirst, cold, heat, sleep, fear: tengo X años / hambre / frío / sueño. English would use 'be' for many of these.
Forms of tener
- Present
- tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tenéis, tienen