The present subjunctive mood of tener is used to express wishes, desires, or uncertainty about possession or obligation. For example, Es importante que tengas paciencia. (It’s important that you have patience.)

Tener is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations do not follow the typical patterns of regular verbs.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Tener (to have) in the Subjunctive Mood tense (Latin American Spanish):

The present subjunctive of tener is used to express wishes, desires, demands, doubts, or uncertainty about possession or obligation.

Expressing wishes or desires: For example, Ojalá tenga éxito en su nuevo trabajo. (I hope you are successful in your new job.)

Expressing demands or requirements: For example, Es necesario que tengas paciencia. (It is necessary that you have patience.)

Expressing doubts or uncertainty: For example, Dudo que tengamos suficiente dinero. (I doubt we have enough money.)

Possession or obligation: For example, Aunque no tengas ganas, tienes que hacerlo. (Even if you don’t feel like it, you have to do it.)

Idiomatic expressions: For example, ¡Que te tengas que ir! (How annoying that you have to leave!) or ¡Tengo que tener más cuidado! (I have to be more careful!)

Examples

Examples of Tener in the Subjunctive Mood

Es importante que tengamos paciencia con los demás. (It’s important that we have patience with others.)

Ojalá que tengas un buen día en el trabajo. (I hope you have a good day at work.)

Para viajar, necesitamos que tengan sus pasaportes listos. (To travel, we need you to have your passports ready.)

Aunque no tenga mucho dinero, puedo disfrutar de la vida. (Even if I don’t have much money, I can enjoy life.)

Es fundamental que tengamos respeto por las tradiciones culturales. (It’s essential that we have respect for cultural traditions.)

Ojalá que tenga éxito en su nuevo emprendimiento. (I hope you have success in your new venture.)

Para la fiesta, es mejor que tengamos suficiente comida y bebidas. (For the party, it’s better that we have enough food and drinks.)

Aunque no tengas experiencia, puedes aprender rápido. (Even if you don’t have experience, you can learn quickly.)

Es necesario que tengan cuidado al cruzar la calle. (It’s necessary that you be careful when crossing the street.)

Ojalá que tengamos la oportunidad de viajar juntos algún día. (I hope we have the opportunity to travel together someday.)

Para progresar, es crucial que tenga disciplina y perseverancia. (To make progress, it’s crucial that you have discipline and perseverance.)

Aunque no tengan mucho dinero, pueden disfrutar de las cosas sencillas de la vida. (Even if you don’t have much money, you can enjoy the simple things in life.)

Es importante que tengamos una mente abierta y aprendamos de otras culturas. (It’s important that we have an open mind and learn from other cultures.)

Ojalá que tengas suerte en tu nueva aventura profesional. (I hope you have luck in your new professional adventure.)

Para tener éxito, es necesario que tenga confianza en sí mismo. (To be successful, it’s necessary that you have confidence in yourself.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Tener (to have) in the Subjunctive Mood tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

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

Synonyms

The Subjunctive mood is also known as the Simple Subjunctive, Subjunctive Present, or Present Subjunctive Mood in English, and as Presente de Subjuntivo, Subjuntivo Presente, Presente del Modo Subjuntivo, or Tiempo Presente del Subjuntivo in Spanish.