Spanish for Beginners: Saying What You Have with tener
Learn to use the Spanish verb tener (to have) with different subjects, from tengo to tienen, and tell it apart from possessive words like mi and tu.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Spanish, the verb tener means "to have." You use it to say what you own, what you carry, or what you feel: Tengo una bicicleta (I have a bike). The verb form changes depending on who has the thing, so tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos and tienen are all part of one pattern. This lesson keeps you focused on that verb. Possessive words like mi (my) and tu (your) are a different tool, and you will see how the two work together in the same sentence.
By the end, you can…
- say what I have using tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos and tienen.
- ask another person what they have and understand the answer.
- tell the difference between the verb tener and possessive words like mi and tu.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Tengo una bicicleta.
I have a bike.
TEN-goh OO-nah bee-see-KLEH-tah
The yo form tengo. Use it to talk about yourself. Bicicleta is feminine, so it takes una.
¿Tienes un carro?
Do you have a car?
TYEH-nehs oon KAH-rroh
The tú form tienes, used with friends, family and people your age. The question mark opens the question in writing.
Ella tiene un carro.
She has a car.
EH-yah TYEH-neh oon KAH-rroh
The él/ella/usted form tiene. It works for he, she and the polite you.
Nosotros tenemos dos perros.
We have two dogs.
noh-SOH-trohs teh-NEH-mohs dohs PEH-rrohs
The nosotros form tenemos. Use it for a group that includes you.
Ellos tienen una casa.
They have a house.
EH-yohs TYEH-nehn OO-nah KAH-sah
The ellos/ellas/ustedes form tienen. It covers they and the plural polite you.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The verb tener changes with the subject. The endings are -o, -es, -e, -emos, -en: yo tengo, tú tienes, él/ella/usted tiene, nosotros tenemos, ellos/ellas/ustedes tienen. Notice that tiene and tienen do not change for gender, so Ella tiene un carro and Él tiene un carro use the same verb form. The word for the thing usually comes after the verb: Tengo una mochila (I have a backpack).
When to use it
Use tener for owning things, carrying things and also for some states, such as Tengo hambre (I am hungry, literally "I have hunger") and Tengo veinte años (I am twenty years old). Possessive words like mi and tu answer a different question: they mark who owns a noun, as in mi bicicleta (my bike). You can combine both: Tengo mi bicicleta aquí (I have my bike here). If you only need to say who has something, the verb tener is enough.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
¿Tienes una bicicleta?
Do you have a bike?TYEH-nehs OO-nah bee-see-KLEH-tahSí, tengo una bicicleta roja.
Yes, I have a red bike.see TEN-goh OO-nah bee-see-KLEH-tah ROH-hahMi hermana tiene un carro.
My sister has a car.mee ehr-MAH-nah TYEH-neh oon KAH-rrohNosotros tenemos dos bicicletas.
We have two bikes.noh-SOH-trohs teh-NEH-mohs dohs bee-see-KLEH-tahsA little context goes a long way
In much of Latin America, carro is the everyday word for a car, while coche is common in Mexico and auto is also understood. In Spain, coche is the usual choice. Tener is also the normal verb for age and hunger, so Tengo treinta años and Tengo hambre are standard, not slang.
One thing to watch for
Saying Yo soy un carro to mean "I have a car," or using tengo with a possessive word when it is not needed.
Try this instead: Use tener for having: Tengo un carro (I have a car). Ser means "to be," so Yo soy un carro means "I am a car." Also, do not add mi or tu just to say what you have: Tengo un carro is complete without mi.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say "She has a house" in Spanish?
Show a sample answer
Ella tiene una casa.
Ella takes the tiene form, and casa is feminine, so it uses una. You could also say Él tiene una casa for a male subject, or Usted tiene una casa in a polite context.
2What is the nosotros form of tener, and what does it mean?
Show a sample answer
Tenemos, meaning "we have."
The -emos ending belongs to nosotros: Nosotros tenemos dos perros (We have two dogs). The subject pronoun can be left out because the ending already shows who has the thing.
3Translate: "Do you have a bike?" using the tú form.
Show a sample answer
¿Tienes una bicicleta?
Tienes is the tú form of tener, and bicicleta is feminine, so it takes una. In a formal situation you would ask ¿Tiene una bicicleta? instead.
To say who has something in Spanish, change the verb tener: tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tienen. Keep possessive words like mi and tu for marking ownership of a noun, and remember that tener also covers age and hunger.
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