tener un
/teneɾ un/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "have a" is translated as tener un.
The phrase tener un is used to express the possession or ownership of a specific object or a specific quality. Beyond simple ownership, the verb tener is also used in Spanish to describe various physical sensations that require the verb "to be" in English, such as tener hambre (to be hungry) or tener sed (to be thirsty).
How does it change in a sentence?
While tener un is used for masculine nouns, you must use tener una if the object being possessed is a feminine noun. If you want to change the meaning from "have a" to "have some" or "have a few," use tener unos for masculine nouns or tener unas for feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/teneɾ un/
What mistakes should you avoid?
While English speakers often struggle with the relationship between "to be" and "to have" when expressing age, note that in Spanish, tener is used correctly to express age (for example, saying "I have 20 years" instead of "I am 20 years old").
Did you know?
- The irregular past tense of tener (such as tuve) exists because speakers accidentally mixed it with the forms of the similar verb haber.
- The word tener shares a common ancestor with the English word 'tenant', as both derive from the Latin word for 'to hold'.
- Because tener means 'to hold', it is used in expressions like tener cuidado, which translates to 'be careful' but literally means 'to hold care'.
Examples in context
- Voy a tener un bebé.I'm going to have a baby.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of tener un in the context of a baby.Tatoeba #1234608 by marcelostockle, translation #250152 by CK
- Quiero tener un amigo.I want to have a friend.This sentence shows the use of tener un when expressing a desire for a friend.Tatoeba #611073 by clerval, translation #3642249 by MTC
- Vamos a tener un bebé.We are going to have a baby.This sentence demonstrates how to use tener un with a first-person plural subject.Tatoeba #731691 by Shishir, translation #31607 by CK
- Tenga un buen díaHave a good day
- Tenga una maravillosa nocheHave a wonderful night
- Que tenga un feliz cumpleañosHave a happy birthday
- Que tenga una agradable veladaHave a pleasant evening
- Que tenga un próspero año nuevoHave a prosperous New Year
- Ten una excelente tardeHave an excellent afternoon
- Ten un viaje increíbleHave an incredible trip
- Que tengas un fabuloso fin de semanaHave a fabulous weekend
- Que tengas un día lleno de aventurasHave a day full of adventures
- Que tengas una noche divertidaHave a fun night
- Ten un poco de pacienciaHave a little patience
- 109 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are at a café discussing his new job.
- María¿Vas a tener un trabajo nuevo pronto?Are you going to have a new job soon?
- DanielSí, voy a tener un empleo excelente.Yes, I am going to have an excellent job.
- María¡Qué bueno! Me alegro por ti, Daniel.That's great! I'm happy for you, Daniel.
- DanielGracias, María. Todo va a salir bien.Thanks, María. Everything is going to turn out well.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tener, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
