REG: Review Lesson - The Verb Tener

The Verb Tener

Tener means to have, but it is also used to form certain expressions (to have to do something), and certain conditions (to be hungry, thirsty, hot, etc.). Tener is both a yo irregular verb as well as a stem changing verb:

Conjugation of tener

yo	tú	él, ella, Usted	nosotros	vosotros	ellos, ellas, Ustedes
tengo	tienes	tiene	tenemos	tenéis	tienen

Examples with the verb tener:

Tener - Singular and Plural Examples

Singular Examples	Plural Examples
Tengo tres libros. I have three books. Tienes una familia muy unida. You have a very close-kint family.	Tenemos la clase de música a las nueve. We have music class at nine o'clock. Jenny y Chika tienen unas fotos de Leonardo DiCaprio. Jenny and Chika have some photos of Leonardo DiCaprio.

Tener Expressions

In English we say that we are hungry or we are hot, using a form of to be. In Spanish, if you used a form of ser with one of these descriptions, you would be saying something entirely different.

For example, to say I am hot, we use tener not ser: tengo calor (literally, I have heat)

If you made the mistake of saying *Yo soy calor, you would be saying something like, "I am the incarnation of the abstract concept of Heat." This is probably not what you intended to say unless you were in a play involving the elements. So review the tener phrases and practice them until it seems natural to say them:

Common Tener Expressions

Spanish - English	Spanish - English
tener calor - to be hot tener cuidado - to be careful tener éxito - to be successful tener frió - to be cold tener ganas de - to feel like, to have the desire to tener hambre - to be hungry tener interés - to be interested	tener miedo - to be afraid tener sed - to be thirsty tener sueño - to be sleepy tener prisa - to be in a hurry tener razón - to be right (correct) no tener razón - to be wrong (incorrect)

Additional Uses for tener

Another way we use tener is to express that we have to do something (expressing obligation). The expression is constructed with Tener + que + infinitive:

Tener for Obligation - Singular and Plural Examples

Singular Examples	Plural Examples
Tengo que estudiar esta mañana. I have to study this morning. Tienes que practicar tenis hoy. You have to practice tennis today.	Tenemos que hablar con la profesora. We have to speak with the professor. Tienen que ir al hospital. They have to go to the hospital.

We also use tener to express that we really feel like doing something or have the desire to do something. The expression is constructed with Tener ganas + de + infinitive:

Tener for Wants - Singular and Plural Examples

Singular Examples	Plural Examples
Tengo ganas de estudiar esta mañana. I seriously have a passion to study this morning. Tienes ganas de jugar al tenis hoy. You really want to play tennis today.	Tenemos ganas de bailar. We really feel like dancing. Tienen ganas de ir al hospital para visitar a su primo. They really want to go to the hospital to visit their counsin.

Finally, we use tener to express age:

Tener to Express Age - Singular and Plural Examples

Singular Examples	Plural Example
Tengo veintiún años. I'm twenty-one (years old). Tiene quince años. He's fifteen (years old).	Nosotros dos tenemos veinticinco años. We're both twenty five years old.

Video Presentation

View the following presentation on the verb tener. Take notes as you view the material as you will be responsible for the content. Be sure your speakers are turned up!

Practice Activity

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