present (tener)

The Verb Tener (To Have) in the Present Tense

The verb tener is one of the most important verbs in Spanish. It generally translates to "to have" in English. It is an irregular verb, meaning it does not follow the standard rules for conjugation, especially in the "yo" form and the stem changes.

1. Conjugation (Present Indicative)

Here are the forms used in Spain:

• Yo tengo — I have
• Tú tienes — You have (informal, singular)
• Él / Ella / Usted tiene — He / She / You (formal) have
• Nosotros / Nosotras tenemos — We have
• Vosotros / Vosotras tenéis — You all have (informal, plural - used in Spain)
• Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes tienen — They / You all (formal) have

2. Basic Uses of Tener

A. Possession

The most direct use of tener is to express ownership or possession of something.

• Yo tengo un coche nuevo.
  (I have a new car.)
• Ellos tienen muchos libros.
  (They have many books.)

B. Age

Unlike English, which uses the verb "to be" (I am 20), Spanish uses tener to express age.

• Ella tiene veinte años.
  (She is twenty years old.)
• ¿Cuántos años tienes tú?
  (How old are you?)

C. Physical and Emotional States (Idioms)

Spanish uses tener + [noun] to describe many physical sensations or feelings where English would use "to be" + [adjective].

• Tener hambre — To be hungry (Literally: to have hunger)
• Tener sed — To be thirsty (Literally: to have thirst)
• Tener frío / calor — To be cold / hot
• Tener sueño — To be sleepy
• Tener miedo — To be afraid
• Tener prisa — To be in a hurry

Example: Nosotros tenemos mucha hambre. (We are very hungry.)

D. Obligation (Tener que + Infinitive)

To say someone "has to" do something, use the formula: tener + que + infinitive verb.

• Vosotros tenéis que estudiar para el examen.
  (You all have to study for the exam.)
• Tú tienes que comer más verduras.
  (You have to eat more vegetables.)