Spanish
Grade 3
15 min
El Verbo 'Tener' (The Verb 'To Have'): Possession and Age
Review the verb 'tener' and its uses for expressing possession, age, and physical sensations.
What you'll learn
- Identify the six conjugations of the verb 'tener' (yo, tú, él/ella/usted, nosotros/nosotras, vosotros/vosotras, ellos/ellas/ustedes) in simple present tense with 100% accuracy on a written quiz.
- Apply the correct conjugation of 'tener' to form grammatically accurate sentences expressing possession (e.g., 'Yo tengo un libro') in at least 4 out of 5 examples provided in a sentence completion exercise.
- Translate five sentences from English to Spanish using the verb 'tener' to express age (e.g., 'I am 14 years old') with no more than one grammatical error per sentence.
- Explain the difference in usage between 'tener' and 'ser' when describing characteristics, providing at least two distinct examples for each verb in a short paragraph.
Tutorial Preview
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify the six present-tense forms of the verb 'tener'.
Correctly use 'tengo', 'tienes', and 'tiene' to talk about what people have.
Use the formula 'tener + número + años' to state their own age and the age of others.
Ask a friend '¿Cuántos años tienes?' (How old are you?).
Differentiate between using 'tener' for possession and for age.
Write simple sentences in Spanish using 'tener' to describe what they and their family members have.
Do you have a pet or a favorite toy? 🧸 In Spanish, we use a special verb to talk about what we have and even how old we are!
Today, we will learn all about the super useful verb 'tener', which means 'to have'. We will se...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Verbo (Verb)An action word. 'Tener' is a verb that means 'to have'.In the sentence 'Yo tengo un perro', 'tengo' is the verb.
Conjugación (Conjugation)Changing a verb to match who is doing the action.We change 'tener' to 'tengo' for 'yo' (I) and to 'tienes' for 'tú' (you).
Posesión (Possession)Something that you own or have.If you have a backpack, it is your possession. 'Tú tienes una mochila.'
Edad (Age)How old someone is.In Spanish, you 'have' years. To say 'I am 8 years old,' you say 'Yo tengo ocho años.'
TengoThe 'yo' (I) form of 'tener'. It means 'I have'.Tengo un libro de dinosaurios. (I have a dinosaur b...
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Grammar Rules & Patterns
Conjugation of 'Tener' (Singular Forms)
yo -> tengo | tú -> tienes | él/ella/usted -> tiene
'Tener' is an irregular verb, so it doesn't follow the normal -ER verb pattern. You must memorize these special forms. We use 'tengo' for 'I', 'tienes' for a friend, and 'tiene' for one other person.
Formula for Possession
Subject + Form of 'tener' + Noun
To say someone has something, start with who has it (like 'Yo'), use the correct form of 'tener' (like 'tengo'), and then say what they have (like 'una pelota'). Example: 'Ella tiene una muñeca.' (She has a doll.)
Formula for Age
Subject + Form of 'tener' + Number + 'años'
T...
4 more steps in this tutorial
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Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
Read the story: "Ana tiene una muñeca. Pedro tiene un carro rojo. Ellos juegan juntos." What does Ana have?
A.Una muñeca
B.Un carro rojo
C.Un amigo
D.Juguetes
Challenging
Which sentence is the correct way to say "I am 9 years old" in Spanish?
A.Yo soy nueve años.
B.Yo tengo nueve años.
C.Yo estoy nueve años.
D.Yo es nueve años.
Challenging
Look at this conversation:
Person 1: "¿Cuántos años tiene tu hermano?"
Person 2: "______"
Which is the best answer for Person 2?
A.Yo tengo diez años.
B.Mi hermano es diez.
C.Él tiene diez años.
D.Sí, tengo un hermano.
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Frequently asked questions
What grade level is "El Verbo 'Tener' (The Verb 'To Have'): Possession and Age"?
El Verbo 'Tener' (The Verb 'To Have'): Possession and Age is a Grade 3 Spanish lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in El Verbo 'Tener' (The Verb 'To Have'): Possession and Age?
You'll be able to: Identify the six conjugations of the verb 'tener' (yo, tú, él/ella/usted, nosotros/nosotras, vosotros/vosotras, ellos/ellas/ustedes) in simple present tense with 100% accuracy on a written quiz; Apply the correct conjugation of….
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Yes. You can read the tutorial preview for free, and signing up for a free ExcelOS account unlocks the full tutorial and all practice questions with instant feedback.
How many practice questions are included with El Verbo 'Tener' (The Verb 'To Have'): Possession and Age?
This lesson includes 27 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.