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    Tenían (en. They had)

    /teˈnjan/

    Meaning & Definition

    EnglishSpanish
    verb
    Indicates possession or a state in the past.
    They had a house on the beach.
    Ellos tenían una casa en la playa.
    Refers to an action or situation that was habitual in the past.
    When we were children, we had many friends.
    Cuando éramos niños, teníamos muchos amigos.
    Expresses obligations or situations that were not fulfilled.
    They had to study for the exam.
    Ellos tenían que estudiar para el examen.

    Etymology

    It derives from the Latin 'tenere', which means to hold, to maintain.

    Common Phrases and Expressions

    they were right
    They were correct.
    tenían razón
    they were careful
    They were cautious or took precautions.
    tenían cuidado
    they felt like
    They felt the desire to do something.
    tenían ganas

    Related Words

    to have
    To own or maintain something.
    tener
    possession
    The act of owning something.
    tenencia
    fork
    Instrument to bring food to the mouth.
    tenedor

    Slang Meanings

    To have responsibility.
    At that moment, we had to do our job.
    En ese momento, teníamos que hacer nuestro trabajo.
    To have something considered valuable.
    They had a good collection of records.
    Tenían una buena colección de discos.