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

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Understanding the Preterite (Past) Tense of “Tener”

The preterite of tener is used to express having something at a specific moment or for a defined period in the past. For example, you might say “I had a terrible headache yesterday,” indicating a specific instance of possession or experience.

This is an irregular verb in the preterite tense, with a completely different stem ‘tuv-‘. You’ll need to memorize these special forms as they don’t follow the regular patterns.

How to Use Tener in the Preterite (Past) Tense

The preterite of tener expresses a completed, definitive instance of having something in the past.

To have/possess: Used for indicating temporary or permanent possession in a specific past moment, for example, Tuve un carro rojo por cinco años (I had a red car for five years).

To have to: Expresses a past obligation or necessity, for example, Tuvo que trabajar hasta tarde (He/she had to work late).

To experience: Describes experiencing a condition or feeling at a specific past moment, for example, Tuvimos mucha suerte ayer (We had a lot of luck yesterday).

Real Life Examples of Tener in the Preterite (Past) Tense

Tuve un día muy ocupado ayer. (I had a very busy day yesterday.)

¿Tuviste tiempo para almorzar? (Did you have time for lunch?)

Ella tuvo una gran idea. (She had a great idea.)

Tuvimos una reunión importante. (We had an important meeting.)

Los estudiantes tuvieron un examen difícil. (The students had a difficult exam.)

Tuve dolor de cabeza todo el día. (I had a headache all day.)

¿Por qué no tuviste cuidado? (Why weren’t you careful?)

La fiesta tuvo mucho éxito. (The party was very successful.)

Tuvimos suerte de encontrar parking. (We were lucky to find parking.)

Ellos tuvieron problemas con el carro. (They had problems with the car.)

Tuve una conversación interesante. (I had an interesting conversation.)

El restaurante tuvo muchos clientes. (The restaurant had many customers.)

Tuvimos un verano maravilloso. (We had a wonderful summer.)

¿Tuviste noticias de Juan? (Did you hear from Juan?)

La película tuvo un final sorprendente. (The movie had a surprising ending.)

Conjugation Chart with English Translations

Conjugations of Tener (to have) in the Preterite (Past) Tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

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

Synonyms

The Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Past Simple, Definite Past, Absolute Past, or Past Tense Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Simple, Pasado Simple, or Pretérito de Indicativo in Spanish.