What's the difference between haber and tener?

Question

How do I know when to use the verb haber or tener?

Answer 1

If you go to the "Learn Spanish" section of the Website, you can check out Learn Spanish 3, Lesson 2 where Paralee talks about "Haber". I actually JUST finished watching this lesson.

Haber is used for the "perfect" tenses: Past Perfect, Present Perfect, Future Perfect...

Answer 2

Even though "haver" is the proper verb, in Spanish you use more often the word "hay" (there are/is). "Tener" is something that you have. Ex. Hay dos libros en el piso ( There are two books on the floor). Yo tengo dos libros (I have two books). Yo tengo (I have) Ella/El tiene (She/He has) Ellos tienen (They have) Nosotros tenemos (We have)

It's haber, not haver. - h1deaway, Apr 12, 2010

Answer 3

Tener indicates possession. (I have a book) Tener que indicates a need to do something (I have to go, He has to study)

Haber works with other verbs (I had gone, He had listened...)

Answer 4

Hello, Kimberlybber, welcome to the Forum!

There is a "search" tool at the top of the answers sections that you can use in order to get quick answers to your questions.

In this case, this question has been discussed a few times. One example is this thread here.

Have fun!