verb · #18
to have
Example: No tengo tiempo.
I do not have time.
Spanish → English
tener
tener is Spanish for to have.
What tener means
How common is it?
tener is ranked #18 of the 500 most common Spanish words. It is in the first hundred, which means you will meet it in almost every sentence you read or hear.
Nearby on the frequency list
Words with a similar frequency to tener — learning them together is more efficient than learning them alphabetically.
- para — for, in order to
- como — like, as; how
- estar — to be (state)
- le — to him, to her
- lo — it, the (neuter)
- todo — all, everything
See all 500 most common Spanish words
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Compiled and checked by the Flipkado team · Last updated 2026-08-22