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Spanish grammar

Tener (to have): Conjugation and Expressions

Updated 6 Nov 2026 4 min read LingoLadder Editorial Team
Cover: Spanish verb tener in the present tense with examples tengo, tienes, tiene
Short answer

Tener (to have) is irregular in the present: tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tenéis, tienen. The yo form is tengo and the e changes to ie in all but nosotros and vosotros. It also builds tener que (to have to) and feelings like tener hambre (to be hungry).

On this page11 sections · tap to jump
  1. 01The rule
  2. 02The present-tense forms
  3. 03How to say it
  4. 04Example sentences
  5. 05Common mistakes
  6. 06A short conversation
  7. 07Usage notes
  8. 08Compared with…
  9. 09Practice
  10. 10Quiz
  11. 11Recap cheat-sheet

Level: A1. Tener means “to have”, and it is one of the first irregular verbs you need in Spanish. You use it for possession (tengo un coche, “I have a car”), for age, for how you feel, and to say you have to do something. Learn its six forms and a handful of expressions and you can say a great deal.

The rule

A verb is an action or state word; its dictionary form is the infinitive, and tener is one. To use it in the present you drop -er and add an ending for each subject (yo, tú, él…). Tener is irregular in two ways at once, so it does not follow the regular -er pattern.

First, the yo (“I”) form is tengo, with an extra g — you simply learn it. Second, tener is a stem-changing verb: the e in the stem becomes ie in the forms where that syllable is stressed, which is everywhere except nosotros and vosotros. So you get tienes, tiene, tienen with ie, but tenemos and tenéis keep the plain e.

Put together, the present is: tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tenéis, tienen.

The present-tense forms

Subject tener English
yo tengo I have
tú tienes you have (informal)
él / ella / usted tiene he/she has, you have (formal)
nosotros/as tenemos we have
vosotros/as tenéis you all have (Spain)
ellos / ellas / ustedes tienen they have, you all have

How to say it

Tener is spelled as it sounds, but a few points trip English speakers:

  • tener — the single r is a light tap, like the middle of the American “better”; each e is a clean “eh”: “teh-NEHR”.
  • tengo — the g before o is a hard “g” as in “go”, never a soft English “j”: “TEHN-goh”.
  • tienes / tiene — ie is one gliding sound, “yeh”: “TYEH-nes”, “TYEH-neh”.
  • tenéis — the accent on é marks the stressed syllable: “teh-NAYS” (a Spain-only form).

Example sentences

  1. Tengo un coche nuevo.
    I have a new car.
    yo: tengo
  2. ¿Tienes hermanos?
    Do you have siblings?
    tú: tienes
  3. Ella tiene dos gatos.
    She has two cats.
    ella: tiene
  4. Tenemos una casa en la playa.
    We have a house at the beach.
    nosotros keeps the e
  5. ¿Tenéis tiempo mañana?
    Do you all have time tomorrow?
    vosotros, Spain
  6. Ellos tienen mucho trabajo.
    They have a lot of work.
    ellos: tienen
  7. Tengo veinte años.
    I am twenty years old.
    age uses tener, not ser
  8. ¿Cuántos años tienes?
    How old are you?
  9. Tengo hambre.
    I am hungry.
    literally 'I have hunger'
  10. ¿Tienes sed?
    Are you thirsty?
  11. El niño tiene frío.
    The child is cold.
  12. Tengo calor.
    I am hot.
  13. Tenemos sueño.
    We are sleepy.
  14. Tengo miedo de los perros.
    I am afraid of dogs.
  15. Tienes razón.
    You are right.
  16. Tengo prisa.
    I am in a hurry.
  17. Tengo que estudiar esta noche.
    I have to study tonight.
    tener que + infinitive = have to
  18. ¿Tienes que trabajar el sábado?
    Do you have to work on Saturday?
  19. Tenemos que coger el tren.
    We have to catch the train.
  20. No tengo ganas de salir.
    I don't feel like going out.
    tener ganas de = to feel like
  21. ¿Tienen ustedes una reserva?
    Do you have a reservation?
    ustedes: tienen

Common mistakes

  • ❌ Soy veinte años. → ✅ Tengo veinte años. Age uses tener, not ser: you “have” years in Spanish.
  • ❌ Estoy hambre. / Soy hambre. → ✅ Tengo hambre. Hunger, thirst, cold and fear use tener + a noun, not estar or ser.
  • ❌ Yo teno un perro. → ✅ Yo tengo un perro. The yo form has the extra g: tengo, not teno.
  • ❌ Nosotros tienemos. → ✅ Nosotros tenemos. The e-to-ie change does not happen in nosotros; it stays tenemos.
  • ❌ Tengo que estudio. → ✅ Tengo que estudiar. After tener que you use the infinitive, not a conjugated verb.
  • ❌ Tengo caliente. → ✅ Tengo calor. For “I’m hot” say tengo calor; tengo caliente means something quite different.

A short conversation

— ¿Tienes hambre? Es casi la una. (Are you hungry? It’s almost one o’clock.) — Sí, tengo mucha hambre. Pero tengo que terminar esto primero. (Yes, I’m very hungry. But I have to finish this first.) — Vale. Yo tengo prisa, tengo una reunión a las dos. (OK. I’m in a hurry, I have a meeting at two.)

Usage notes

  • Drop the subject pronoun. The ending already shows the person, so tienes alone means “you have”; add tú only for emphasis or contrast.
  • tener que + infinitive = obligation. Tengo que ir (“I have to go”) is the everyday “must”; the verb after que is always an infinitive.
  • tener + noun for states. Beyond hunger and cold, Spanish uses tener for tener suerte (to be lucky), tener cuidado (to be careful) and tener ganas de (to feel like). Add mucho/mucha for “very”: tengo mucha sed.
  • usted and ustedes use the third person. Polite “you have” is usted tiene; for a group it is ustedes tienen (the normal plural “you” across Latin America).

Compared with…

  • tener que (obligation). On its own tener means “to have” something; followed by que + an infinitive it means “to have to” do something: tengo dos libros vs tengo que leer dos libros. A dedicated lesson on obligation lives in the Spanish grammar section.
  • Regular -er verbs. Tener shares the -er endings of a verb like comer in nosotros and vosotros (tenemos / tenéis, like comemos / coméis), but the yo form and the e-to-ie change are its own. Review the base pattern on regular -er verbs.
  • ser and estar. Because feelings and age use tener, do not reach for ser or estar there; see how those two “to be” verbs split the work in ser vs estar.

Recap card for the Spanish verb tener with its six present forms and a friendly study buddy

Quick recap before the quiz.

Practice

Practice

Tener practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 Choose the correct form: 'Yo ___ un coche.'
Show answer

tengo — The yo form is irregular: tengo.

Hint: nosotros keeps the plain e

Show answer

tenemos — No e-to-ie change in nosotros: tenemos.

3 Build: 'I have to study.'

Show answer

Tengo que estudiar — tener que + infinitive: Tengo que estudiar.

4 Match each subject to its form of tener.

  • yo
  • tú
  • él/ella
  • ellos/ellas
Show answer
  • yo → tengo
  • tú → tienes
  • él/ella → tiene
  • ellos/ellas → tienen

tengo, tienes, tiene, tienen — only nosotros/vosotros keep the e.

5 How do you say 'I am twenty years old'?
Show answer

Tengo veinte años. — Age uses tener: Tengo veinte años.

Hint: feelings use tener

Show answer

tiene — tener + noun: Ella tiene hambre.

Quiz

Check yourself

Tener quiz

12 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/12 0 answered
  1. 1The yo (I) form of tener is…
    Show answer

    tengo — It is irregular: tengo.

  2. 2'Tú ___ dos hermanos.'
    Show answer

    tienes — tú: tienes, with the e-to-ie change.

  3. 3Which form keeps the plain e (no ie)?
    Show answer

    tenemos — nosotros tenemos (and vosotros tenéis) keep the e.

  4. 4How do you say 'I am hungry'?
    Show answer

    Tengo hambre. — Spanish 'has' hunger: Tengo hambre.

  5. 5'We have to catch the train' is…
    Show answer

    Tenemos que coger el tren. — tener que + infinitive: Tenemos que coger el tren.

  6. 6'Ustedes ___ una reserva.'
    Show answer

    tienen — ustedes uses the third-person plural: tienen.

  7. 7What is wrong with 'Nosotros tienemos'?
    Show answer

    nosotros does not take the ie change: tenemos — The e-to-ie change skips nosotros: tenemos.

  8. 8'How old are you?' (informal) is…
    Show answer

    ¿Cuántos años tienes? — Age uses tener: ¿Cuántos años tienes?

  9. 9After tener que, the next verb is…
    Show answer

    an infinitive — tener que is always followed by an infinitive: tengo que estudiar.

  10. Show answer

    tiene — ella: tiene. Tener razón = to be right.

  11. 11'They have a lot of work' is…
    Show answer

    Ellos tienen mucho trabajo. — ellos: tienen.

  12. 12Which sentence is correct for 'I'm hot'?
    Show answer

    Tengo calor. — Use tener + calor: Tengo calor.

Recap cheat-sheet

Subject tener Use
yo tengo learn separately (g, no ie)
tú / él / ellos tienes / tiene / tienen e becomes ie
nosotros / vosotros tenemos / tenéis keep the plain e
tener que + inf. tengo que ir have to do something

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A1 31 topics · 13 ready
  1. 01 Noun Gender in Spanish (Masculine & Feminine)
  2. 02 Forming Plurals in Spanish
  3. 03 Definite Articles: el, la, los, las
  4. 04 Indefinite Articles: un, una, unos, unas
  5. 05 Subject Pronouns (yo, tú, él, nosotros)
  6. 06 The Verb Ser (Permanent 'To Be')
  7. 07 The Verb Estar (States & Location)
  8. 08 Ser vs Estar: When to Use Each
  9. 09 Hay: There Is / There Are
  10. 10 Present Tense: Regular -AR Verbs
  11. 11 Present Tense: Regular -ER Verbs
  12. 12 Present Tense: Regular -IR Verbs
  13. 13 The Verb Tener (To Have) and Expressions You are here
  14. 14 The Verb Ir (To Go) and Ir A + Infinitive Coming soon
  15. 15 Gustar: Expressing Likes Coming soon
  16. 16 Adjective Agreement (Gender & Number) Coming soon
  17. 17 Position of Adjectives in Spanish Coming soon
  18. 18 Possessive Adjectives (mi, tu, su, nuestro) Coming soon
  19. 19 Demonstratives: este, ese, aquel Coming soon
  20. 20 Question Words (qué, quién, dónde, cómo) Coming soon
  21. 21 Negation: no and Double Negatives Coming soon
  22. 22 Contractions: al (a + el) and del (de + el) Coming soon
  23. 23 Muy vs Mucho Coming soon
  24. 24 Stem-Changing Verbs e→ie (querer, pensar) Coming soon
  25. 25 Stem-Changing Verbs o→ue (poder, dormir) Coming soon
  26. 26 Reflexive Verbs (levantarse, ducharse) Coming soon
  27. 27 Present Progressive (estar + gerundio) Coming soon
  28. 28 Tener Que + Infinitive (Obligation) Coming soon
  29. 29 The Personal A (direct object people) Coming soon
  30. 30 Prepositions a, en, de (Core Uses) Coming soon
  31. 31 Weather Expressions with Hacer Coming soon
A2 25 topics
  1. 32 Preterite Tense: Regular Verbs Coming soon
  2. 33 Preterite: Irregular Verbs (ser, ir, tener) Coming soon
  3. 34 Imperfect Tense (Ongoing & Habitual Past) Coming soon
  4. 35 Preterite vs Imperfect: Which Past Tense? Coming soon
  5. 36 Near Future: Ir A + Infinitive Coming soon
  6. 37 Direct Object Pronouns (lo, la, los, las) Coming soon
  7. 38 Indirect Object Pronouns (me, te, le, nos) Coming soon
  8. 39 Double Object Pronouns (se lo, me lo) Coming soon
  9. 40 Comparatives (más que, menos que) Coming soon
  10. 41 Superlatives (el más, -ísimo) Coming soon
  11. 42 Stressed Possessives (el mío, la tuya) Coming soon
  12. 43 Saber vs Conocer (Two Ways to 'Know') Coming soon
  13. 44 Por vs Para: The Basics Coming soon
  14. 45 Verbs Like Gustar (encantar, molestar, doler) Coming soon
  15. 46 Informal Commands (tú affirmative) Coming soon
  16. 47 Hace / Desde Hace for Time Expressions Coming soon
  17. 48 Acabar De + Infinitive (Just Did) Coming soon
  18. 49 Stem-Changing Verbs e→i (pedir, servir) Coming soon
  19. 50 Hay Que + Infinitive (Impersonal Obligation) Coming soon
  20. 51 Deber and Deber De (Obligation & Probability) Coming soon
  21. 52 Prepositional Pronouns (mí, ti, conmigo) Coming soon
  22. 53 Pero vs Sino (But) Coming soon
  23. 54 También and Tampoco (Also / Neither) Coming soon
  24. 55 Indefinite Pronouns (alguien, algo, cualquiera) Coming soon
  25. 56 Apocopation (buen, gran, primer, san) Coming soon
B1 25 topics
  1. 57 Simple Future Tense (hablaré) Coming soon
  2. 58 Conditional Tense (hablaría) Coming soon
  3. 59 Present Subjunctive: Formation Coming soon
  4. 60 Subjunctive for Wishes & Emotions (querer que) Coming soon
  5. 61 Subjunctive After Impersonal Expressions Coming soon
  6. 62 Formal & Negative Commands (usted, no hagas) Coming soon
  7. 63 Present Perfect (he hablado) Coming soon
  8. 64 Past Participles (Regular & Irregular) Coming soon
  9. 65 Pluperfect (había hablado) Coming soon
  10. 66 Por vs Para: Advanced Uses Coming soon
  11. 67 Relative Pronouns (que, quien, el que) Coming soon
  12. 68 Passive Se and Impersonal Se Coming soon
  13. 69 Comparisons of Equality (tan, tanto como) Coming soon
  14. 70 Pronoun Placement with Infinitives & Gerunds Coming soon
  15. 71 Si Clauses Type 1 (Real Conditions) Coming soon
  16. 72 Uses of the Gerund (-ando / -iendo) Coming soon
  17. 73 Lo + Adjective and Lo Que (Neuter Lo) Coming soon
  18. 74 Adverbs Ending in -mente Coming soon
  19. 75 Subjunctive After cuando & Time Conjunctions Coming soon
  20. 76 Verbs of Becoming (ponerse, volverse, hacerse) Coming soon
  21. 77 Quedar and Quedarse (Multiple Meanings) Coming soon
  22. 78 Al + Infinitive and Infinitive as Noun Coming soon
  23. 79 Antes de / Después de + Infinitive Coming soon
  24. 80 Más de / Menos de with Numbers Coming soon
  25. 81 Porque, Por Qué, Porqué, Por Que Coming soon
B2 18 topics
  1. 82 Imperfect Subjunctive (hablara / hablase) Coming soon
  2. 83 Si Clauses Type 2 (Unreal Present) Coming soon
  3. 84 Subjunctive in Adjective Clauses Coming soon
  4. 85 Subjunctive After Conjunctions (para que, aunque) Coming soon
  5. 86 Present Perfect Subjunctive (haya hablado) Coming soon
  6. 87 Future Perfect (habré hablado) Coming soon
  7. 88 Conditional Perfect (habría hablado) Coming soon
  8. 89 Passive Voice with Ser (ser + participle) Coming soon
  9. 90 Reported Speech (estilo indirecto) Coming soon
  10. 91 Advanced Relatives (cuyo, el cual, donde) Coming soon
  11. 92 Verbal Periphrases (seguir/llevar + gerundio) Coming soon
  12. 93 Indicative vs Subjunctive in Noun Clauses Coming soon
  13. 94 Aunque: Indicative vs Subjunctive Coming soon
  14. 95 Ojalá, Quizás, Tal Vez + Subjunctive Coming soon
  15. 96 Diminutives and Augmentatives (-ito, -ón) Coming soon
  16. 97 Future & Conditional of Probability (Conjecture) Coming soon
  17. 98 Relative Superlative & de + Group Coming soon
  18. 99 Adjectives That Change Meaning with Ser/Estar Coming soon
C1 11 topics
  1. 100 Pluperfect Subjunctive (hubiera hablado) Coming soon
  2. 101 Si Clauses Type 3 & Mixed (Unreal Past) Coming soon
  3. 102 Sequence of Tenses (correlación de tiempos) Coming soon
  4. 103 All Uses of Se (reflexive, passive, impersonal, accidental) Coming soon
  5. 104 Future Subjunctive (hablare) — Literary/Legal Coming soon
  6. 105 Discourse Connectors (sin embargo, por lo tanto) Coming soon
  7. 106 Subjunctive Nuance (perception, comunicación verbs) Coming soon
  8. 107 Ser/Estar + Participle & Resultant States Coming soon
  9. 108 Nominalisation & Register (Formal Spanish) Coming soon
  10. 109 Advanced Concession (por más que, a pesar de) Coming soon
  11. 110 Modal & Aspectual Periphrases (deber de, acabar por) Coming soon