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Conjugation Chart of “Tener” (to have) in the Present Tense

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Understanding the Present Tense of “Tener”

The Present Tense of tener is used to express possession, obligation, age, and certain idiomatic expressions in the present moment. For example, Tengo un libro nuevo. (I have a new book.)

Tener is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations do not follow a set pattern across all subjects. You’ll need to memorize its unique conjugations in the present tense.

How to Use Tener in the Present Tense

Tener generally means “to have” or “to possess”, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To have/possess: For example, Yo tengo un coche nuevo. (I have a new car.)

To hold/contain: For example, Esta caja tiene muchos libros. (This box contains many books.)

To experience: For example, Tengo mucho sueño. (I’m very sleepy/tired.)

To be (age): For example, Ella tiene 25 años. (She is 25 years old.)

To have to (obligation): For example, Tengo que estudiar para el examen. (I have to study for the exam.)

Idiomatic usage: For example, ¡Tengo un hambre! (I’m so hungry! – lit. “I have a hunger!”)

Slang/Rude usage: For example, ¡Tú la tienes grande! (You’ve got a big one! – referring to male genitalia)

Real Life Examples of Tener in the Present Tense

Hoy tengo mucho trabajo en la oficina. (I have a lot of work at the office today.)

Mi hermana tiene dos hijos pequeños. (My sister has two young children.)

¿Tenéis planes para el fin de semana? (Do you all have plans for the weekend?)

No tenemos suficiente dinero para comprar esa casa. (We don’t have enough money to buy that house.)

Ellos tienen una gran familia y se quieren mucho. (They have a great family and love each other very much.)

¿Tienes hambre? Vamos a comer algo. (Are you hungry? Let’s go eat something.)

En este momento, tengo mucho estrés por el trabajo. (Right now, I’m very stressed because of work.)

Mis amigos tienen entradas para el concierto de esta noche. (My friends have tickets for the concert tonight.)

¿Cuántos años tienes? (How old are you?)

Tenemos que apresurarnos si queremos llegar a tiempo. (We have to hurry if we want to arrive on time.)

Ella tiene un gran talento para la pintura. (She has a great talent for painting.)

¿Tenéis alguna recomendación de restaurantes por aquí? (Do you all have any restaurant recommendations around here?)

Juan tiene mucha experiencia en su campo. (Juan has a lot of experience in his field.)

No tengo ganas de salir esta noche. (I don’t feel like going out tonight.)

Ellas tienen un estilo de vida muy saludable. (They have a very healthy lifestyle.)

Conjugation Chart with English Translations

Conjugations of Tener (to have) in the Present Tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.