Tener Preterite Conjugation

By LanguaTalk Last updated: 14 Feb 2023

Use the chart, examples, and video below to learn how to conjugate tener in the preterite tense ("pretérito perfecto simple").

Tener: Preterite Conjugation Chart

Here are some examples of conjugating tener in preterite form:

Yo tuve miedo, sentí el latido de mi corazón muy rápido.

I was afraid, I felt my heart beating very fast. (tener is used here as the literal translation is 'I had fear' for 'I was afraid'

David, nuestro mago, parece que tuvo un ataque de nervios.

David, our magician, apparently seems to have had a nervous breakdown.

El dijo que tuvisteis una conversación en las escaleras.

He said you had a conversation on the stairs.

Tener is an irregular verb, including in the preterite tense.
Don’t worry about memorising all the conjugations perfectly. Through speaking and listening on a regular basis, you’ll learn to conjugate verbs correctly most of the time even if you don't remember the rules and exceptions off by heart.
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Here's a reminder of what the Spanish personal pronouns mean:

yo = I
tú = you (informal)
él/ella = he/she
nosotros/nosotras = we
vosotros/vosotras = you (plural, informal, Spain only)
ellos/ellas = they
Usted = you (singular formal) & ustedes = you (plural formal). These are used much more in Latin America than in Spain - the latter being more informal.