🎯 Goal: Learn how to use the verb TENER (to have) in the present tense and common expressions with tener, such as tener hambre, tener sed, tener frío, tener años, etc. Practice through grammar, listening, vocabulary, and pronunciation.
🧠Grammar Focus: Verb Tener in the Present Tense
The verb tener (to have) is one of the most important and frequently used verbs in Spanish. It’s essential for expressing possession, age, feelings, and many common phrases that don’t directly translate from English.
It’s irregular in the present tense and doesn’t follow the standard -er conjugation pattern. Memorize these forms:
| Pronoun | Tener (Present) |
|---|---|
| Yo | tengo |
| Tú | tienes |
| Él / Ella | tiene |
| Nosotros/as | tenemos |
| Vosotros/as | tenéis |
| Ellos/as | tienen |
📝 Examples:
- Yo tengo un perro. – I have a dog.
- Ella tiene una casa. – She has a house.
- Nosotros tenemos clase hoy. – We have class today.
🎯Practice Activities
Complete the sentences using the dropdown menu.
🔤Vocabulary: Expressions with Tener
In Spanish, many common expressions use the verb tener even though in English we use to be instead. For example, in English we say I am hungry, but in Spanish we say Tengo hambre (literally: “I have hunger”).
That’s why learning these expressions is very important. They appear in everyday conversations and help you sound natural in Spanish.
Let’s learn the most useful ones:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| tener años | to be X years old |
| tener hambre | to be hungry |
| tener sed | to be thirsty |
| tener frío | to be cold |
| tener calor | to be hot |
| tener sueño | to be sleepy |
| tener prisa | to be in a hurry |
| tener miedo | to be afraid |
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo tengo 25 años. | I am 25 years old. |
| Tengo un perro. | I have a dog. |
| Ella tiene hambre. | She is hungry. |
| Él tiene sed. | He is thirsty. |
| Nosotros tenemos frío. | We are cold. |
| Usted tiene calor. | You are hot. |
| Tengo sueño. | I am sleepy. |
| Él tiene prisa. | He is in a hurry. |
| Ellos tienen miedo. | They are afraid. |
❓Questions with TENER
In Spanish, to form a question with tener, you usually keep the same word order as in a statement, but change the intonation or add question marks. For example:
- Statement: Él tiene hambre. → He is hungry.
- Question: ¿Él tiene hambre? → Is he hungry?
You can also start with the verb:
- ¿Tiene él hambre? → Does he have hunger?
- ¿Tiene hambre? → Does he have hunger? (the version without the pronoun sounds more natural)
👉 Note: In Spanish, all questions are written with ¿ at the beginning and ? at the end.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Cuántos años tienes? | How old are you? |
| ¿Tienes un gato? | Do you have a cat? |
| ¿Tiene ella hambre? | Is she hungry? |
| ¿Tiene él sed? | Is he thirsty? |
| ¿Tenemos frío? | Are we cold? |
| ¿Tiene usted calor? | Are you hot? |
| ¿Tienes sueño? | Are you sleepy? |
| ¿Tiene prisa? | Is he in a hurry? |
| ¿Tienen ellos miedo? | Are they afraid? |
↩️ Flashcard:
🎯Quiz: Vocabulary Recognition
See the image and choose the correct expression.
🎧 Listening + Choose the Correct Answer
Listen to Ana talk about her day. What does she have?
⬇️ Click to show transcript & translation
Hola, me llamo Ana. Tengo 19 años. Hoy tengo mucha prisa y también tengo hambre. Tengo frío y no tengo chaqueta. También tengo un poco de miedo porque tengo un examen.
Hello, my name is Ana. I am 19 years old. I’m in a hurry today and I’m also hungry. It’s cold and I don’t have a jacket. I’m also a bit scared because I have an exam.
🔍 Fill in the Missing Word
Use the words from the box to complete the text.
🎧 Listening and Shadowing
Listen and complete the sentences by typing the missing words.
🗣️ Shadowing: Pronunciation Practice
Listen and repeat each sentence aloud. Focus on the rhythm and accent.
⬇️ Click to show transcript & translation
Yo tengo 20 años. – I am 20 years old.
¿Cuántos años tienes? – How old are you?
Tengo hambre. – I am hungry.
Ella tiene frío. – She is cold.
Tenemos mucha sed. – We are very thirsty.
¿Tienes sueño? – Are you sleepy?
No tengo miedo. – I am not afraid.
Mi hermano tiene prisa. – My brother is in a hurry.
Ellos tienen calor. – They are hot.
¿Tienes un gato? – Do you have a cat?
📚 Reading + Grammar – Fill in the Blanks
Complete this paragraph with the correct form of tener or an expression.
🎧 Listening Quiz: Review Practice
Let’s review the grammar and vocabulary from previous lessons. Listen to the short audio twice, then answer these 7 simple questions.
⬇️ Click to see the transcript and translation
Hola, me llamo Miguel. Soy de México y soy profesor. Estoy en casa hoy. En mi habitación hay una cama, una silla y un escritorio. La silla está al lado de la cama. Hoy es lunes y tengo clase a las nueve. Estoy un poco nervioso porque tengo examen.
Hi, my name is Miguel. I’m from Mexico and I’m a teacher. I’m home today. In my room, there’s a bed, a chair, and a desk. The chair is next to the bed. Today is Monday, and I have class at nine. I’m a little nervous because I have an exam.
🧩 Grammar Quiz: Review Practice
Complete the gaps using contextual clues and proper grammar. Do not listen to audio.
↩️ Flashcard: Review Vocabulary
Use these flashcards to learn and review new vocabulary words. Study each word carefully and try to remember both the Spanish term and its English translation.