Tener Preterite: Spanish Conjugation & Examples

"Tener" in the preterite tense describes completed actions in the past. Here's how to conjugate it and when to use it.

Preterite Conjugation

• Yo tuve — I had
• Tú tuviste — You had
• Él/Ella/Usted tuvo — He/She/You (formal) had
• Nosotros tuvimos — We had
• Vosotros tuvisteis — You (plural) had
• Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes tuvieron — They/You (plural) had

When to Use Preterite

Completed Actions

• Specific time: "Ayer tuve una reunión" (Yesterday I had a meeting)
• Definite past: "El año pasado tuve un coche" (Last year I had a car)
• Finished events: "Tuve que ir" (I had to go - and I did)

Examples

Completed Actions

• "Tuve una idea" — I had an idea (completed)
• "Tuvimos una fiesta" — We had a party (completed)
• "Tuvieron que salir" — They had to leave (and they did)

Time Expressions

• "Tuve una cita ayer" — I had an appointment yesterday
• "Tuvimos problemas el mes pasado" — We had problems last month

Preterite vs. Imperfect

Preterite (Completed)

• "Tuve un coche" — I had a car (specific time, completed)

Imperfect (Ongoing)

• "Tenía un coche" — I had a car (ongoing, description)

Common Mistakes

• ❌ Using imperfect for completed actions → Use preterite
• ❌ Using preterite for descriptions → Use imperfect

Master Tener Preterite

The best way to master preterite is through daily practice. Use it in conversations, get feedback, and learn through context. Try Parlai and practice Spanish through real conversations with immediate feedback.