Tener

Grammar Reference

Tener — Exercises

Practice

1. Conjugate "tener" for "yo":
   
2. What is the correct form: "nosotros / tener"?
   (tenemos / tienen / tienes) 
3. Complete: "Ella _______ (tener) veinticinco años."
   
4. What is the correct form: "ellos / tener"?
   (tengo / tienen / tenemos) 
5. Complete: "Nosotros _______ (tener) una casa bonita."
   
6. Which sentence is correct?
   (Tú tienes frío / Tú tengo frío / Tú tienen frío) 
7. Complete: "¿Cuántos años _______ (tener)?"
   
8. Complete: "Yo _______ (tener) hambre."
   

Tener — Answer Key

Practice

1. tengo Explanation: For "yo" (I), tener changes to "tengo." This is an irregular verb, not following standard -ER patterns.
2. tenemos Explanation: For "nosotros" (we), tener uses "tenemos"—notice it keeps the "ten-" stem, not "tien-".
3. tiene Explanation: For "ella" (she), tener changes to "tiene." Use "tener + años" to express age in Spanish.
4. tienen Explanation: For "ellos" (they), tener uses "tienen." The stem changes to "tien-" for all forms except nosotros/vosotros.
5. tenemos Explanation: For "nosotros," tener uses "tenemos." This is the only first-person plural form with the "ten-" stem.
6. Tú tienes frío Explanation: For "tú" (you), tener uses "tienes"—with the diphthong "ie". The phrase "tener frío" means "to be cold."
7. tienes Explanation: This question asks "How old are you?" With "tú," tener uses "tienes." In Spanish, age is expressed as "tener + años."
8. tengo Explanation: For "yo," tener uses "tengo." The expression "tener hambre" is the Spanish way to say "to be hungry"—literally, "to have hunger."