Spanish
Grade 8
15 min
Tener: Possessions and Age
Learn the verb 'tener' and its uses for expressing possession and age.
What you'll learn
- Identify at least 8 out of 10 common possessions (e.g., libro, mochila, computadora) in Spanish when presented with visual aids.
- Explain the meaning of the verb "tener" in Spanish in their own words and provide at least two example sentences using "tener" to express possession.
- Apply the correct form of "tener" to complete 5 out of 6 sentences describing the age and possessions of different people.
- Create 3 original sentences in Spanish using the verb "tener" to describe what they or others possess and their age, demonstrating correct subject-verb agreement.
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Accurately conjugate the verb 'tener' in the present, preterite, imperfect, future, and conditional tenses.
Correctly use 'tener' to express possession of objects and characteristics.
Correctly use 'tener' to state and ask about age.
Identify and interpret the use of 'tener' for possessions and age in excerpts from Hispanic literature.
Formulate descriptive sentences about characters' possessions and ages using 'tener' in various tenses.
Differentiate the appropriate use of 'tener' from 'ser' or 'estar' when describing characteristics versus possessions or age.
Ever wondered how authors describe their characters' belongings or how old they are in Spanish? 🤔 It'...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
TenerThe Spanish verb meaning 'to have' or 'to possess'. It is highly irregular and crucial for expressing ownership and age.Yo tengo un libro interesante. (I have an interesting book.)
PosesiónThe act of owning or holding something. In Spanish, 'tener' is the primary verb used to express possession.Ella tiene una casa grande. (She has a big house.)
EdadA person's age. In Spanish, age is expressed using the verb 'tener' followed by the number and 'años'.Mi hermano tiene quince años. (My brother is fifteen years old.)
ConjugaciónThe process of changing a verb's form to match the subject (who is doing the action) and the tense (when the action happens). 'Tener' has irregular conjugations.Nosotros ten...
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Grammar Rules & Patterns
Conjugation of 'Tener' (Present, Preterite, Imperfect)
Present: yo tengo, tú tienes, él/ella/Ud. tiene, nosotros/as tenemos, vosotros/as tenéis, ellos/ellas/Uds. tienen.
Preterite: yo tuve, tú tuviste, él/ella/Ud. tuvo, nosotros/as tuvimos, vosotros/as tuvisteis, ellos/ellas/Uds. tuvieron.
Imperfect: yo tenía, tú tenías, él/ella/Ud. tenía, nosotros/as teníamos, vosotros/as teníais, ellos/ellas/Uds. tenían.
These are the most common tenses for 'tener'. Note the significant irregularities in the present and preterite forms, while the imperfect is more regular (stem 'ten-' + imperfect endings).
Conjugation of 'Tener' (Future, Conditional)
Future: yo tendré, tú tendrás, él/ella/Ud. tendrá, nosotros/as tendremos, vosotros/as tendréis, ellos/e...
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Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
Analyze the passage: "El viejo capitán tenía noventa años. En su vida, tuvo muchas riquezas, pero ahora no tiene nada. Aún así, él siempre tendrá el respeto de su tripulación." Which statement is an incorrect analysis of the use of 'tener'?
A.'Tenía' describes the captain's ongoing age in the past narrative.
B.'Tuvo' refers to possessions he acquired and lost at specific times in his life.
C.'Tiene' describes his current lack of possessions.
D.'Tendrá' suggests a hypothetical possession of respect.
Challenging
A character, Elena, was 12 and had a bicycle. Now she is 16 and has a car. Which sentence most accurately and completely describes this progression using the correct tenses?
A.Cuando tenía doce años, Elena tuvo una bicicleta, pero ahora que tiene dieciséis, tiene un coche.
B.Cuando tuvo doce años, Elena tenía una bicicleta, pero ahora que tiene dieciséis, tiene un coche.
C.Elena tenía una bicicleta y ahora tiene un coche.
D.Elena tuvo una bicicleta y después tuvo un coche.
Challenging
In a suspense novel, which sentence best conveys that a character was in a constant, ongoing state of being afraid, rather than suddenly becoming afraid?
A.De repente, el explorador tuvo miedo.
B.El explorador tuvo mucho miedo en ese instante.
C.Al oír el ruido, el explorador tuvo miedo.
D.Mientras caminaba por el bosque oscuro, el explorador tenía miedo.
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Frequently asked questions
What grade level is "Tener: Possessions and Age"?
Tener: Possessions and Age is a Grade 8 Spanish lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Tener: Possessions and Age?
You'll be able to: Identify at least 8 out of 10 common possessions (e.g., libro, mochila, computadora) in Spanish when presented with visual aids; Explain the meaning of the verb "tener" in Spanish in their own words and provide at least two….
Is "Tener: Possessions and Age" free to practice?
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How many practice questions are included with Tener: Possessions and Age?
This lesson includes 25 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.