Tener

Tener lesson

The verb "tener"​

​"Tener" is a super common verb in Spanish. It means "to have."

​

​Examples:

​

​Tengo una hermana. (I have a sister)

​

​Tienes dos perros. (You have two dogs)

Multiple Choice

What does "tener" mean?

• To have 

• To be

• To live

• To want

​Tener conjugation

​Yo - tengo which means I have

​Tú - tienes which means you (informal, singular) have

​Él/Ella/Usted - tiene which means he/she/you (formal, sing.) have

​Nosotros(as) - tenemos which means we have

​Vosotros(as) - tenéis which means you all (informal, plural SPAIN) have

​Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes - tienen which means they/you all (Latinoamérica/ formal - SPAIN) have

Multiple Choice

How would you say "I have"

• Tú tienes 

• Yo tengo

• Ellos tienen

• Nosotros tenemos

Multiple Choice

How would you say "we have"

• Tú tienes

• Yo tengo

• Ellos tienen

• Nosotros tenemos

Multiple Choice

How would you say "he has"

• Tú tienes

• Yo tengo

• Él tiene

• Ella tiene

Multiple Choice

How would you say "she has three dogs"?

• Él tengo tres perros 

• Ella tiene tres perros

• Él tiene tres perros 

• Nosotros tenemos tres perros 

Remember: where else have we seen this verb?

​States of being:

​Tengo hambre. (I'm hungry.)

​Tengo sed. (I'm thirsty.)

​

​Age:

​Tengo trece años. (I'm thirteen years old).

​Él tiene treinta años. (He's thirty years old).

Multiple Choice

How would you say "Y'all (Spain) are hungry"? 

• Vosotros tenéis hambre

• Yo tengo hambre 

• Vosotros tenéis frío

• Ellos tienen hambre

Multiple Choice

How would you say "they're hungry"?

• Tienen hambre

• Tienen calor

• Tengo hambre

• Tenemos frío

​Now, let's learn how to use "tener que" (to have to) with verbs.

The form of ​the verb we have to use with "tener que" (to have to) is NOT conjugated.

​

​In other words, this form does NOT show who is doing the action or when.

​This form (which does NOT show who is doing the action or when) is called the infinitive form.

Multiple Choice

What is the infinitive form of a verb?

• the form that shows who does the action & when

• the form that shows what the person has

• the form that does NOT show who does the action or when

• the form that shows that I am doing the action

Multiple Choice

Review:

What is the conjugated form of a verb?

• the form that shows who does the action & when

• the form that shows what the person has

• the form that does NOT show who does the action or when

• the form that shows that I am doing the action

Multiple Choice

Review:

What is the infinitive form of a verb?

• the form that shows who does the action & when

• the form that shows what the person has

• the form that does NOT show who does the action or when

• the form that shows that I am doing the action

​All infinitive verbs in Spanish end with "ar," "er," or "ir."

• ​almorzar (to eat lunch)

• ayudar (to help)

• ​caminar (to walk)

• ​cantar (to sing)

• ​enseñar (to teach)

• ​estudiar (to study)

• ​llevar (to bring, to wear)

• ​participar (to participate)

• ​regresar (to return)

• ​tomar (to take)

• ​trabajar (to work)

• ​comer (to eat)

• beber (to drink)

• ​tener (to have)

• ​correr (to sing)

• ​barrer (to sweep)

• ​ver (to watch)

• ​crecer (to grow)

• ​leer (to read)

• poder (to be able)

• poner (to put)

• perder (to lose/skip)

• ​vivir (to live)

• salir (to leave)

• ​dormir (to sleep)

• ​oír (to hear)

• ​reír (to laugh)

• ​abrir (to open)

• subir (to go up)

• ​escribir (to write)

• dividir (to divide)

• preferir (to prefer)

• compartir (to share)

Multiple Select

What do all infinitive verbs in Spanish end with?

[Careful - choose ALL that apply!]

• ar

• or

• ir

• er

• ur

Multiple Select

Which of the following are infinitive verbs in Spanish?

[Careful - choose ALL that apply!]

• bailar

• autor

• discutir

• tengo

• ser

​Unlike with nouns, you can't just put the verb after the form of "tener" (to have).

​

​Instead, add the word "que" after.

​Por ejemplo...

​Yo tengo que estudiar para la prueba.

​

​I have to study for the quiz.

​Por ejemplo...

​Manuela tiene que regresar a casa.

​

Manuela has to return home.

Multiple Choice

Which word do you have to put after the form of "tener" (to have) when you use a verb after?

• a

• de

• que

• trick question, you can just put the verb

Práctica: Build a Sentence

​In the following questions, you will build this sentence in Spanish:

​

​

​"We have to take notes in Spanish class."

Multiple Choice

​"We have to take notes in Spanish class."

Which of following means "we have"?

• Tengo

• Tienes

• Tiene

• Tenemos

• Tienen

Multiple Choice

​"We have to take notes in Spanish class."

Tenemos...

Which of following comes next?

• a

• que

• tomar apuntes

  (to take notes)

• en

• la clase de español

Multiple Choice

​"We have to take notes in Spanish class."

Tenemos que...

Which of following comes next?

• a

• que

• tomar apuntes

  (to take notes)

• en

• la clase de español

Multiple Choice

​"We have to take notes in Spanish class."

Tenemos que tomar apuntes...

Which of following comes next?

• a

• que

• tomar apuntes

  (to take notes)

• en

• la clase de español

Multiple Choice

​"We have to take notes in Spanish class."

Tenemos que tomar apuntes in...

Which of following comes next?

• a

• que

• tomar apuntes

  (to take notes)

• en

• la clase de español

​​"We have to take notes in Spanish class."

=

Tenemos que tomar apuntes en la clase de español.

​​In this set, you will build this sentence in Spanish:

​

​

​"They have science class after art class."

Multiple Choice

​"They have science class after art class."

Which of the following means "they have"?

• Tengo

• Tienes

• Tiene

• Tenemos

• Tienen

Multiple Choice

​"They have science class after art class."

Tienen...

Which word or phrase comes next?

• la clase de ciencias

• que

• tener

• después de

  (after)

• la clase de arte

​Tienen la clase de ciencias...

​Because the word after "have" is a noun ("science class"), do NOT use the word "que" after the form of "tener."

Multiple Choice

​"They have science class after art class."

Tienen la clase de ciencias...

Which word or phrase comes next?

• la clase de ciencias

• que

• tener

• después de

  (after)

• la clase de arte

Multiple Choice

​"They have science class after art class."

Tienen la clase de ciencias después de...

Which word or phrase comes next?

• la clase de ciencias

• que

• tener

• después de

  (after)

• la clase de arte

​​"They have science class after art class."

​=

​Tienen la clase de ciencias después de la clase de arte.

​Más Práctica

​(More Practice)

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct translation of the following sentence:

"Do you have to wear a uniform to school?"

llevar = to wear

• ¿Tengo que llevar un uniforme a la escuela?

• ¿Tienes que llevar un uniforme a la escuela?

• ¿Tengo llevar un uniforme a la escuela?

• ¿Tienes llevar un uniforme a la escuela?

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct translation of the following sentence:

"He has Spanish class with Mrs. Caponigro."

• Tienes que la clase de español con la Sra. Caponigro.

• Tiene que la clase de español con la Sra. Caponigro.

• Tienes la clase de español con la Sra. Caponigro.

• Tiene la clase de español con la Sra. Caponigro.

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct translation of the following sentence:

"They have to walk to school."

• Tienen que caminar a la escuela.

• Tenemos que caminar a la escuela.

• Tienen caminar a la escuela.

• Tenemos caminar a la escuela.

Poll

How well do you understand how to use "tener" (to have) with verbs in Spanish?

• not at all

• not well, but a little I guess

• I think I'm starting to

• I'm feeling pretty good, but I want more practice with the difference

• I totally get it