Definition
To have or possess something; also used to express age, feelings, or physical states.
Example
Tengo dos hermanos y una hermana pequeña.
Show translation
I have two brothers and a little sister.
Etymology
From Latin *tenēre* ("to hold, to grasp"), which also gave French *tenir*, Italian *tenere*, and Portuguese *ter*. The Latin root is behind many English words too: *contain*, *obtain*, *tenant*, and *tenacious* all share this ancestry.
Cultural note
Spanish *tener* covers a wider range than English "to have." Crucially, it expresses age (*tengo 30 años* — I am 30 years old), physical sensations (*tengo hambre/sed/frío/calor* — I am hungry/thirsty/cold/hot), and emotions (*tengo miedo* — I am afraid). English learners often reach for *ser/estar* in these cases, but Spanish consistently reaches for *tener* instead. Keep an eye out for the idiomatic *tener que + infinitive*, the most common way to express obligation: *tengo que estudiar* (I have to study).