haber y tener
Does tener and haber mean the same thing? Both of these verbs are 'to possess' or 'to have' so.... when is it best to use haber instead of tener? I've only been studying Spanish for a year and I've never seen haber used until this morning, and that was in the Santa Biblia.
Thanks,
Jack
15 Answers
Does tener and haber mean the same thing? Both of these verbs are 'to possess' or 'to have' so.... when is it best to use haber instead of tener? I've only been studying Spanish for a year and I've never seen haber used until this morning, and that was in the Santa Biblia.
Thanks,
Jack
There is another use of "haber" which is the impersonal use and means something like "there to be", not good English I know, however, some examples which might make it a bit clearer.
Hay - There is/are
Haya - let there be, may there be
habido - there having been
habiendo - there being
había - there was/were (imperfect)
hubo - there was/were (past definite)
habrá - there will be
habría- there would be
ha habido- there has been
había habido - there had been
etc, etc, etc with all the other terms using habido.
I believe there is also a form "ha" used to denote "ago" as in expressions of time, example "mucho tiempo ha" a long time ago.
As far as I believe but i am not 100%. Tener is used to show things you have or possess or ownership of something, and haber is for things you have done. "He[<haber] aprendido mucho" ( I have learned a lot) "Tengo manzanas." ( I have apples.) If i am wrong or there is more to it add/correct. 
Hello dear
My name is queen(single). I was impressed when i saw your profile today at and i will like to establish a long lasting relationship with you. In addition,i will like you to reply me through this my private e-mail box(queensamale46@yahoo.com) Thanks waiting to hear from you soon. queen I will send to you my pictures in my next mail through this my mail box
queensamale46@yahoo.com
Hearing what sounded like the English word "eye" and seeing "haber" on paper took me a while to connect also!
It wasn't until the 2d week that I understood: No eye d.k.! (no hay de que is not what I was hearing!). Another one I had trouble with was: Ikimasu (Japanese for "I go" and pronounced just like "y que más" the 'u' being silent. It seemed to me the instructor was playing a children's game: he kept saying "I go with ... Chris!." Chris would answer, then "I go with .... Susan!" If learning a second language was easy, everyone would already know one!
I still find it shocking that people are not taught how to say 'there is / there are? after one year, and that's why I asked.
From my experience, and discussions I've had with others, I think nearly all students of Spanish learn the word "hay" for "there is" very early on. The part that many don't learn, and sometimes never learn, is that "hay" is a form of the verb haber. They see the infinitive form and don't realize that they've been using it all along.
I really don't understand your condescending attitude. I don't appreciate your implication that I am lying. A couple of points, I have used the word "hay" (there is, or there are), but I was not aware that it was from the verb "haber".
And that is 'not' taught in the first week of spanish.
It wasn't a condescending attitude, but simply professional curiosity.
By the way, most of the professional teachers I know teach "hay" within the first week, whether you like it or not.
I don't know what other teachers do in other places, but I still find it shocking that people are not taught how to say "there is / there are" after one year, and that's why I asked.
I really don't understand your condescending attitude. I don't appreciate your implication that I am lying. A couple of points, I have used the word "hay" (there is, or there are), but I was not aware that it was from the verb "haber".
And that is 'not' taught in the first week of spanish.
I Jack, I think Lazarus's post did not come over as he surely wanted it to. I think he was trying to say that the teachers have failed you there, as it is a verb which really should be taught at a very basic level.
However, remember that hay is a verb used for both plural and singular, unlike in English, very useful and easy. My students have great difficulty remembering that "there is " changes to "there are" with plural objects. Very confusing for them.
Welcome to the forum 
I guess part of my confusion was that 'haber' and 'tener' both had defintions of 'to have' which doesn't make much sense to me. 'There is' makes much more sense
I think what really complicates this for English speakers is that they are not used to having verbs that cannot have a subject, which is exactly when "haber" should be translated as "there is/has been/will be/etc." instead of "to have".
When I was learning English I found it extremely odd that you had to say, for instance, "it rained today" instead of simply "rained today". I still see no reason for the "it" to be there, but at least it doesn't sound odd anymore.
Does tener and haber mean the same thing? Both of these verbs are 'to possess' or 'to have' so.... when is it best to use haber instead of tener? I've only been studying Spanish for a year and I've never seen haber used until this morning, and that was in the Santa Biblia.
Thanks,
Jack
There is another use of "haber" which is the impersonal use and means something like "there to be", not good English I know, however, some examples which might make it a bit clearer.
Hay - There is/are
Haya - let there be, may there be
habido - there having been
habiendo - there being
había - there was/were (imperfect)
hubo - there was/were (past definite)
habrá - there will be
habría- there would be
ha habido- there has been
había habido - there had been
etc, etc, etc with all the other terms using habido.
I believe there is also a form "ha" used to denote "ago" as in expressions of time, example "mucho tiempo ha" a long time ago.
Thanks so much!
Here is a nice way to remember the diference:
haber = there is --> Hay una tarta en la mesa --> There is a cake on the table
tener = to have --> Tengo un perro que se llama Lucas --> I have a dog named Lucas
There are a lot of exceptions but basically, that's the difference between these two verbs.
Hope it helps!
Ana Garcia
Thank you! I guess part of my confusion was that 'haber' and 'tener' both had defintions of 'to have' which doesn't make much sense to me. 'There is' makes much more sense :~)
As far as I believe but i am not 100%. Tener is used to show things you have or possess or ownership of something, and haber is for things you have done. "He[<haber] aprendido mucho" ( I have learned a lot) "Tengo manzanas." ( I have apples.) If i am wrong or there is more to it add/correct.
Thank you for your response. Makes sense to me :~)
If you are referring to physically having something, use tener.
I have never used haber by itself.
He tenido la oportunidad de estudiar - I have had the opportunity to study.
Habíamos cumplido con los requisitos - We have met the requirements.
I am sure that someone can give you a much more comprehensive list than I can.
Thank you for your response. I have never used haber by itself either, but have used he, ha, han and such.
I've only been studying Spanish for a year and I've never seen haber used until this morning, and that was in the Santa Biblia.
You've been studying Spanish for a year, and you've never come across something like "There is" (hay)? It is one of the most used and basic words in the language; it is that kind of things you learn the first week when you are an absolute beginner.
I really don't understand your condescending attitude. I don't appreciate your implication that I am lying. A couple of points, I have used the word "hay" (there is, or there are), but I was not aware that it was from the verb "haber".
And that is 'not' taught in the first week of spanish.
I've only been studying Spanish for a year and I've never seen haber used until this morning, and that was in the Santa Biblia.
You've been studying Spanish for a year, and you've never come across something like "There is" (hay)? It is one of the most used and basic words in the language; it is that kind of things you learn the first week when you are an absolute beginner.
If you are referring to physically having something, use tener.
I have never used haber by itself.
He tenido la oportunidad de estudiar - I have had the opportunity to study.
Habíamos cumplido con los requisitos - We have met the requirements.
I am sure that someone can give you a much more comprehensive list than I can.
