Spanish

Tener

Learn how to use tener for possession, age and common everyday needs.

5 min

The idea

Tener means “to have,” but Spanish uses it in several common expressions.

Learn the forms, then attach them to useful chunks such as tener hambre and tener tiempo.

Tener in the present

01tengoTEN-gohI have02tienesTYEH-nesyou have03tienehe, she or you formal has04tenemoswe have05tenéisyou all have, Spain06tienenthey or you all have

Basic possession

01Tengo una reserva.I have a reservation.02Tengo una preguntaTEN-goh OO-nah preh-GOON-tah.I have a question.03¿Tienes efectivo?Do you have cash?04Tenemos tiempo.We have time.

Age

Spanish says “I have 30 years,” not “I am 30.”

Tengo treinta años means “I am 30 years old.” Use tener, not ser or estar, for age.

Common tener expressions

01Tengo hambreTEN-goh AM-breh.I’m hungry.02Tengo sedTEN-goh seth.I’m thirsty.03Tengo sueño.I’m sleepy.04Tengo prisa.I’m in a hurry.05Tengo frío.I’m cold.

English uses “to be” where Spanish often uses tener.

English idea

I am hungry.

Spanish pattern

Tengo hambre.Literally: I have hunger.

Useful questions

01¿Tienes tiempo?Do you have time?02¿Tenéis mesa para dos?Do you have a table for two?03¿Tienes hambre?Are you hungry?04¿Tiene cambio?Do you have change? Formal.

Remember this

Tengo is one of the most useful first-person forms in Spanish.

Tengo una reserva. Tengo hambre. Tengo una pregunta. One verb covers possession and several daily states.

Lesson complete

Reviewed 2026-09-07

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