The Spanish verb "tener" means "to have" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "tener" across all 5 tenses. New to Spanish verbs? Start with the Spanish verb guide.
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Lexi's Memory Hack
TENER has a "g" in the yo form: TENGO. Think: "I TENd to be the one who's GOt everything" → TEN-GO.
Tener also stem-changes (tienes, tiene, tienen) in present. And its preterite is completely irregular: tuve, tuviste, tuvo…
How to Conjugate "tener" in the Present Tense
Presente de indicativo Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | tengo |
| tú | you (informal) | tienes |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | tiene |
| nosotros | we | tenemos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | tenéis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | tienen |
Ella tiene un coche nuevo.
She has a new car.
How to Conjugate "tener" in the Past (completed) Tense
Pretérito perfecto simple Actions that finished in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | tuve |
| tú | you (informal) | tuviste |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | tuvo |
| nosotros | we | tuvimos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | tuvisteis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | tuvieron |
Él tuvo mucho trabajo ayer.
He had a lot of work yesterday.
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Pretérito imperfecto Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | tenía |
| tú | you (informal) | tenías |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | tenía |
| nosotros | we | teníamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | teníais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | tenían |
Ella tenía una casa azul.
She had a blue house.
How to Conjugate "tener" in the Future Tense
Futuro simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | tendré |
| tú | you (informal) | tendrás |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | tendrá |
| nosotros | we | tendremos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | tendréis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | tendrán |
Él tendrá una reunión hoy.
He will have a meeting today.
How to Conjugate "tener" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Condicional simple Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | tendría |
| tú | you (informal) | tendrías |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | tendría |
| nosotros | we | tendríamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | tendríais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | tendrían |
Él tendría mucho dinero.
He would have a lot of money.
Frequently Asked Questions About "tener"
Is "tener" regular or irregular in Spanish?
"Tener" is an irregular Spanish verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "tener" mean in English?
The Spanish verb "tener" means "to have" in English.
How do you conjugate "tener" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente de indicativo): yo → tengo, tú → tienes, él/ella/usted → tiene, nosotros → tenemos, vosotros → tenéis, ellos/ustedes → tienen.
How many tenses does "tener" have in Spanish?
"Tener" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Spanish: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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