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SpanishConjugationPresent

Tener (to have) · Present

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Tener in the Spanish present (presente) is: yo tengo, tú tienes, él/ella/usted tiene, nosotros/as tenemos, vosotros/as tenéis, ellos/ellas/ustedes tienen. The present of tener is irregular in the yo form ('tengo') and shows an e→ie stem change in tú, él/ella/usted, and ellos/ellas/ustedes forms.

tener conjugation in the Present (Presente)
To HaveTener
I have
yo tengo
you have
tú tienes
he/she has
él/ella/usted tiene
we have
nosotros/as tenemos
you have
vosotros/as tenéis
they have
ellos/ellas/ustedes tienen
Examples

Tener (to have) in context

Sentences that use tener in the present. Tap each to hear it.

Tengo dos hermanos mayores.

I have two older brothers.

¿Tienes hambre?

Are you hungry?

Mi padre tiene cuarenta años.

My father is forty years old.

Tenemos una casa grande.

We have a big house.

Tenéis una bonita familia.

You have a beautiful family.

Mis amigos tienen un perro.

My friends have a dog.

Tip

Working with the present

Spanish uses the present tense more broadly than English does. "Estudio español" can mean "I study Spanish," "I am studying Spanish," or "I do study Spanish" — context decides. The biggest stumbling block for English speakers is the yo form of irregular verbs (hago, tengo, doy, voy, soy). Memorise those individually; the other persons usually follow regular patterns.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How do you conjugate tener in the present tense?
Tener in the present is: yo tengo, tú tienes, él/ella/usted tiene, nosotros/as tenemos, vosotros/as tenéis, ellos/ellas/ustedes tienen. The yo form is irregular ('tengo'), and tú, él/ella/usted, and ellos/ellas/ustedes show an e→ie stem change.
Why does Spanish say 'tengo treinta años' to mean 'I am thirty'?
Spanish uses tener (to have) for age, not ser or estar. Literally 'I have thirty years'. This pattern extends to many physical and emotional states: tener hambre (to be hungry), tener sed (to be thirsty), tener miedo (to be afraid), tener sueño (to be sleepy), tener calor (to be hot).
How do I express obligation with tener?
Use 'tener que' + infinitive to mean 'have to' or 'must': 'Tengo que trabajar' (I have to work), 'Tienes que estudiar' (You have to study), 'Tenemos que irnos' (We have to go). It's one of the most common ways to express necessity in Spanish.
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More tenses of Tener (To Have)

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Tener (to have) · Preterite

More verbs in present

All tenses
Tener (to have)
present
Ser (to be)
present
Estar (to be)
present
Hacer (to do)
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