This document discusses "tener idioms" in Spanish. It notes that tener idioms are not literally translated, and do not use "have" in the English translation. It provides examples of how tener can be used instead of ser or estar to express concepts like age, desires, fears, success, luck, and emotions. The conjugations of tener are also irregular and must be memorized. Common tener idioms include tener hambre, tener años/meses/días, tener ganas de, tener miedo de, tener éxito, tener suerte, and tener expressions relating to emotions.

1. Tener Idioms
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2. A “tener idiom” is . . .
 Not translated literally.
 There is no “have” in English translation
of the idiom.
 In Spanish, we are using nouns for
English adjectives.
 This verb is considered irregular; it does
NOT follow the pattern as regular “-ER”
verbs.
 It is best to memorize the conjugations
because there is no pattern to follow.

3. 1.Tengo- I have 4. Tenemos- We have
2. Tienes- You have (inf.) 5. Teneis- You (p.inf.)
3. Tiene- You have (form.) 6. Tienen- Y’all / They
have

4. Tener used instead of SER
or ESTAR
As you know, there are two verbs in
Spanish which mean “to be”- ser and
estar. The verb tener, although it means
“to have,” can also be translated as a
form of the verb “TO BE.” Here are a few
examples of tener idioms:

5. *The literal meaning would be “ I have hunger,” but
English uses the verb to be.

6. Tener . . . años
6 meses
6 años
26 años
99 años

8. Tener ganas de + infinitivo

14. Tener miedo de…

15. Tener éxito

16. Tener suerte

17. Tener cuidado

18. Tener razón

19. Tener vergüenza

20. Tener dolor (de…)

21. Tener celos (de…)