What will you learn in this guide?
Imagine you have just arrived in Madrid and you want to tell a Spaniard about your day. You will say things like Tengo jet lag” (“I’m jet lagged”) ,”Hay mucha gente en el metro” (“There are a lot of people in the metro”) and “Estoy en el hotel” (“I’m at the hotel”). Without realizing it, you will have used the three most important Spanish verbs after “ser”.
Mastering the verbs tener, haber and estar will allow you to express possession, existence, location and temporal states. These verbs appear in 70% of everyday conversations, making them fundamental tools for communicating fluently from day one.
The Verbs Tener, Haber and Estar: Basic Structure.
Each of these verbs has its own personality and specific function. Think of them as three friends with very different characteristics:
HAVE is the verb of possession and sensations. When you say “tengo hambre” (“I am hungry”) or ” tengo un coche” (“I have a car”), you are talking about things that belong to your personal world, whether they are physical objects or internal sensations.
HABER is the verb of existence, but with a unique peculiarity: it is only used in an impersonal form “hay”. It is like a neutral announcer that simply informs whether or not something exists in a given place.
ESTAR is the verb of change and location. Everything that can be modified, moved or transformed uses this verb. If you can change location, mood or condition, you probably need to “estar”.
Essential Conjugations of TENER - HABER - ESTAR
TENER (Present)
Yo tengo
Tú tienes
Él/Ella tiene
Nosotros tenemos
Vosotros tenéis
Ellos tienen
HABER (Present – Impersonal form only)
HAY (para todo: singular y plural)
The beauty of “haber” is its simplicity: one form for all situations. “Hay un libro” (“There is a book”) and “Hay libros” (“There are books”) use exactly the same word.
ESTAR (Present)
Yo estoy
Tú estás
Él/Ella está
Nosotros estamos
Vosotros estáis
Ellos están
When to Use the Verbs Tener, Haber and Estar.
The key to mastering these verbs is understanding when to apply each one. It’s like learning to use different tools: each has its perfect timing.
TENER comes into action when we talk about possession “Tengo un coche” (“I have a car”), age “Tengo 25 años” (“I am 25 years old”), physical sensations ” Tengo hambre/sed/frio/calor” (“I am hungry/thirsty/cold/hot”) and obligations (“I have to study”). It is your personal, intimate verb.
TENER is used for:
✅ Possession: “Tengo una moto roja” – “I have a red motorcycle”.
✅ Age: “Tengo 50 años” – “I am 50 years old”.
✅ Physical sensations: “Tengo hambre/sed/frío/calor” – “I am hungry/thirsty/cold/hot”.
✅ Obligation: “Tengo que trabajar” – “I have to work”.
With HABER, the situation is different. We only use it to state that something exists in a place. When you arrive in a new city and ask “Is there a bank nearby?”, you are using this verb of existence. You don’t own the bank, you simply want to know if it exists in that area.
HABER is used for:
✅ Existence: “Hay un banco en la esquina” – “There is a bench on the corner”.
✅ Availability: “¿Hay mesas cenar?” – “Are there tables for dinner?”
✅ Presence: “Hay chicos en el parque” – “There are kids in the park”.
ESTAR dominates everything that is temporary and changeable. Your present location “Estoy en Barcelona” (“I am in Barcelona”), your emotional states of the moment “Estoy cansado” (“I am tired”), the present conditions of things ” La comida está deliciosa” (“The food is delicious”) and actions in progress ” Estoy estudiando español”(“I am studying Spanish”).
ESTAR is used for:
✅ Location: “Estoy en Madrid” – “I am in Madrid”.
✅ Temporary states: “Estoy enfermo” – “I am sick”.
✅ Conditions: “La bebida está muy fría” – “The drink is too cold”.
✅ Progression: “Estoy estudiando español” – “I am studying Spanish”.
Practical Tips for Mastering Tener, Haber and Estar Verbs
🎯 Mental Trick 1: The Rule of Permanence
Ask yourself: can this change easily? If you have a car, that car is yours until you sell it (TENER). If you are tired, that feeling will pass after you sleep (ESTAR). If there is a hospital in your town, it simply exists there (HABER). Trick 1:
- TENER (HAVE): Things you “own” or internal sensations.
ESTAR: Situations that “can change”.
HABER (HAVE): Just to say that something “exists”.
🎯 Mental Trick 2: Key Questions.
Before choosing the verb, ask yourself these questions: For TENER (HAVE): “What do I possess or what do I feel internally?”. For ESTAR (BE): “Where am I or how do I feel temporarily?”. For HABER (HAVE): “Does this simply exist here?”. Trick 2:
TENER: “What do I own?” / “What do I feel?”
ESTAR: “Where?” / “How (temporarily)?”
HABER: “Does it exist?” / “Is it available?”
Useful Phrases for Real Conversations
Theory is fine, but what you really need are phrases with the verbs tener, haber and estar that you can use immediately in real situations. These expressions will open doors in any Spanish conversation and demonstrate your natural command.
When you use TENER, you will say things like:
“Tengo una pregunta” (I have a question) when starting a conversation.
” Tengo 30 años” (I’m 30 years old”) when introducing yourself.
“Tengo hambre” (I’m hungry) when you want to eat
“Tengo que irme” (I have to go) when you say goodbye.
“¿Tienes tiempo?” ( Do you have time?) when asking someone for help
With HABER, you will be able to handle everyday situations:
Hay un problema (“There’s a problem”) when reporting difficulties
“No hay tiempo” (There’s no time) when things go fast.
“¿Hay un banco cerca? ( Is there a bank nearby?) services
Hay mucho tráfico” (There’s a lot of traffic) when explaining delays
“¿Hay WiFi aquí?” (Is there WiFi here?)
Phrases with ESTAR will connect you emotionally:
” ¿Dónde estás? (Where are you?) when looking for someone
“Estoy bien, gracias” (I’m fine, thanks) in polite responses.
“El café está frío (The coffee is cold) when you complain politely
“Estoy aprendiendo español” (I’m learning Spanish) when explaining your current situation.
Exercise: Master the verbs Tener - Haber -Estar (To Have - To Be)
Final Reflection
These three verbs Tener, Haber and Estar are like the primary colors of Spanish: with them you can paint almost any situation in your daily life. The difference between a student who struggles with Spanish and one who flows naturally often comes down to mastery of the verbs TENER, HABER and ESTAR.
With this simple sentence you are already using all three verbs correctly – practice makes perfect!
Master the Three Verbs!
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