Tuve (en. I had)

/ˈtu.βe/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishSpanish

verb

Indicates the possession of something at a past moment.

I had a dog when I was a child.

Tuve un perro cuando era niño.

Expresses the experience or completion of an action in the past.

I had a brilliant idea for the project.

Tuve una idea brillante para el proyecto.

Used to refer to a past obligation.

I had to study all night for the exam.

Tuve que estudiar toda la noche para el examen.

From the Latin 'tenere', verbal form of the verb 'tener'.

I had to

Indicates an obligation or need in the past.

tuve que

I had an experience

Refers to having lived through a situation in the past.

tuve una experiencia

When I had

Introduction to an anecdote regarding the past.

cuando tuve

to have

Verb that indicates the action of possessing something.

tener

he/she had

Third person singular of the simple past tense of the verb 'to have'.

tuvo

had

Participle of the verb 'to have'.

tenido

Expression that indicates surprise at a situation that has been experienced.

I had to see it to believe it!

¡Tuve que verlo para creerlo!

Phrase that indicates that a achievement has been reached.

I had what it took to succeed.

Tuve lo que se necesitaba para triunfar.