Cuál es la diferencia entre "tener" y "haber"

Question

Hi, I am trying to understand the differnce between the two verbs "to have" and I am not sure what the difference is between them. Are there any rules when you would use one over the other?
Also, can somebody please tell me which is correct:
tuve una gran noche o tenía una gran noche

muchas gracias!

Answer 1

Hi, I am trying to understand the differnce between the two verbs "to have" and I am not sure what the difference is between them. Are there any rules when you would use one over the other?

Also, can somebody please tell me which is correct:

tuve una gran noche o tenía una gran noche

muchas gracias!

The difference is massive, but the problem is that you don't understand the difference in your own language:

have (to possess) = tienen una casa = They have/possess a house

have (to experience) = he had fun = lo pasamos bien

This is onyl an example, because we can extend this to over 20 definitions.

In a nutshell: stop translating, and try to learn how Spanish works.

Answer 2

thank you everyone! this has been very helpful!

Answer 3

Hi, he had fun; equals lo pasamos bien? tell me this is just a typing

error,otherwise I am confused, surely it should be "we had fun.

ken.

It is surely a typo. It should have been "we" instead of "he".

Answer 4

Hi, I am trying to understand the differnce between the two verbs "to have" and I am not sure what the difference is between them. Are there any rules when you would use one over the other?

Also, can somebody please tell me which is correct:

tuve una gran noche o tenía una gran noche

muchas gracias!

The difference is massive, but the problem is that you don't understand the difference in your own language:

have (to possess) = tienen una casa = They have/possess a house

have (to experience) = he had fun = lo pasamos bien

This is onyl an example, because we can extend this to over 20 definitions.

In a nutshell: stop translating, and try to learn how Spanish works.

Hi, he had fun; equals lo pasamos bien? tell me this is just a typing
error,otherwise I am confused, surely it should be "we had fun.
ken.

Answer 5

From what I have learned with haber and tener, tener is to physically have something, or when paired with "que" to have to do something. Haber is used as a form of to have in the sense of having done something. So in a sentence like "I have eaten dinner" I have = he (yo form of haber) eaten = comido but to say "I have the food" I have = tengo (yo form of tener). The best way to learn the difference is just to know the meaning of the sentence, don't translate it word for word.
Basically, you seem to have got it. "Haber" is used as the "helping" verb (to form perfect tenses). It should be obvious, that when one says "I have seen ..." the "have" is, no way related to the notion of possession; it simply marks an action already completed. The other main use of "haber" (in the 3rd person singular only) has to do with the existence of something(s) e.g. "Hay un libro (o tres libros) en la mesa.

"Tener" covers most uses of "have" when the meaning relates to possession. For the English sense of obligation (to do something) e.e. "have/has to", "tener que" is (probably) more common but (at least is some cases "hay que" is also possible. Thus you might say "Tengo/tenemos que cumplir este trabajo antes de ..." or you could say "Hay que cumplir este trabajo antes de ...". The only difference would be that in the "tener que" formulation, you are making clearer that it is your (singular/plural) responsibility, whereas, in the second case you are only asserting that the work needs to be done (by someone).

Answer 6

From what I have learned with haber and tener, tener is to physically have something, or when paired with "que" to have to do something. Haber is used as a form of to have in the sense of having done something. So in a sentence like "I have eaten dinner" I have = he (yo form of haber) eaten = comido but to say "I have the food" I have = tengo (yo form of tener). The best way to learn the difference is just to know the meaning of the sentence, don't translate it word for word.

Answer 7

Haber is regularly (as in not always) paired with the perfect form of a verb.

... plus impersonal uses:

Hay una casa.
Hay que darse prisa.

Answer 8

Haber is regularly (as in not always) paired with the perfect form of a verb.

i.e.

He tenido... - I have had...
Ella ha pasado... - She has gone through...
Has indicado... - You have indicated...
Hemos estado... - We have been...
Ellos se me han robado. - They have robbed me.

etc., etc.

Answer 9

This site has a rather extensive dictionary/reference data base that you can look at for any words you have trouble understanding.

tener - http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/tener
haber - http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/haber

They each mean different things in different contexts.

Answer 10

Well I was beaten by Lazarus!