The tener future tense is a key component of Spanish grammar, essential for anyone learning the language.
If you’re a student, language learner, writer, or grammar enthusiast, mastering tener future tense helps you express future possession, obligations, or intentions with confidence.
In Spanish, tener means “to have,” and its future tense form is used to talk about what someone will have or need in the future.
This article breaks down the tener future tense, its formation, usage, and common pitfalls, with clear examples to make learning easy.
By the end, you’ll understand how to conjugate tener in future tense, recognize it in sentences, and use it correctly in real-life scenarios.
Let’s dive into this beginner-friendly guide to make your Spanish grammar journey smoother!
What Is the “Tener Future Tense”?
The tener future tense is a verb form used to describe actions or states that will happen in the future, specifically related to possession, necessity, or obligation. For example, “I will have a car” or “She will have to study.” In Spanish, tener is an irregular verb, so its conjugation in the future tense doesn’t follow the standard pattern of regular verbs. Instead, it uses a unique stem, making it important to learn its specific forms.
How to Recognize the Tener Future Tense?
You can spot the tener future tense by its distinct endings and the irregular stem tendr-. Unlike regular verbs that use the infinitive as the stem, tener transforms into tendr- before adding future tense endings. Look for words like tendré (I will have) or tendrán (they will have) in sentences discussing future events or plans.
Structure of a Sentence
A typical sentence in the tener future tense follows this structure:
- Subject + conjugated tener (future tense) + object/complement.
For example: Yo tendré un libro (I will have a book).
In cases of obligation, it’s often tener + que + infinitive verb, like Tendrás que trabajar (You will have to work).
Formation
To form the tener future tense, take the irregular stem tendr- and add the future tense endings: -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án. These endings are consistent across all verbs in the Spanish future tense, but tener’s irregularity lies in its stem.
Verbs
The verb tener is unique because it’s irregular in the future tense. Unlike regular verbs like hablar (to speak) or comer (to eat), tener doesn’t use its infinitive form as the stem. Instead, it changes to tendr-, making it essential to memorize its conjugation.
Helping Verbs
In the tener future tense, no auxiliary or helping verbs are needed for simple future statements like Tendré tiempo (I will have time). However, when expressing obligation, tener pairs with que and an infinitive verb, as in Tendré que estudiar (I will have to study).
Explanation of Some Verbs with Reference to “Tener Future Tense”
While tener is primarily used for possession or obligation, other verbs like haber (to have, auxiliary) or poseer (to possess) might seem similar but differ in context. For instance, haber is rarely used for possession in the future tense, while poseer is more formal. Tener is the go-to verb for everyday expressions of having something or needing to do something.
Table of Some Regular or Irregular Verbs in “Tener Future Tense”
| Verb | Future Tense Stem | Example Conjugation (Yo) |
| Tener | tendr- | Tendré |
| Hacer | har- | Haré |
| Decir | dir- | Diré |
| Poder | podr- | Podré |
| Querer | querr- | Querré |
Simple Sentence Examples
- Yo tendré una casa nueva. (I will have a new house.)
- Tú tendrás un examen mañana. (You will have an exam tomorrow.)
- Él tendrá más tiempo libre. (He will have more free time.)
- Ella tendrá un perro. (She will have a dog.)
- Nosotros tendremos una reunión. (We will have a meeting.)
- Vosotros tendréis un viaje largo. (You all will have a long trip.)
- Ellos tendrán nuevos amigos. (They will have new friends.)
- Usted tendrá una oportunidad. (You will have an opportunity.)
- María tendrá un coche. (María will have a car.)
- Los niños tendrán juguetes. (The children will have toys.)
Negative Sentence Examples
- No tendré dinero para viajar. (I won’t have money to travel.)
- No tendrás tiempo para jugar. (You won’t have time to play.)
- No tendrá clases mañana. (He won’t have classes tomorrow.)
- No tendrá paciencia. (She won’t have patience.)
- No tendremos una fiesta. (We won’t have a party.)
- No tendréis problemas. (You all won’t have problems.)
- No tendrán tareas. (They won’t have homework.)
- No tendrá acceso al club. (You won’t have access to the club.)
- No tendrá un teléfono nuevo. (María won’t have a new phone.)
- No tendrán hambre. (The children won’t have hunger.)
Interrogative Sentence Examples
- ¿Tendré yo suficiente tiempo? (Will I have enough time?)
- ¿Tendrás tú un nuevo trabajo? (Will you have a new job?)
- ¿Tendrá él un coche? (Will he have a car?)
- ¿Tendrá ella una cita? (Will she have a date?)
- ¿Tendremos nosotros una casa? (Will we have a house?)
- ¿Tendréis vosotros entradas? (Will you all have tickets?)
- ¿Tendrán ellos una reunión? (Will they have a meeting?)
- ¿Tendrá usted un turno? (Will you have a turn?)
- ¿Tendrá María un vestido nuevo? (Will María have a new dress?)
- ¿Tendrán los niños juguetes? (Will the children have toys?)
Negative and Interrogative Sentence Examples
- ¿No tendré yo suficiente dinero? (Won’t I have enough money?)
- ¿No tendrás tú clases hoy? (Won’t you have classes today?)
- ¿No tendrá él un nuevo teléfono? (Won’t he have a new phone?)
- ¿No tendrá ella tiempo libre? (Won’t she have free time?)
- ¿No tendremos nosotros una solución? (Won’t we have a solution?)
- ¿No tendréis vosotros boletos? (Won’t you all have tickets?)
- ¿No tendrán ellos una fiesta? (Won’t they have a party?)
- ¿No tendrá usted una cita? (Won’t you have an appointment?)
- ¿No tendrá María un coche? (Won’t María have a car?)
- ¿No tendrán los niños hambre? (Won’t the children have hunger?)
How to Conjugate “Tener Future Tense”
To conjugate tener in the future tense:
- Start with the irregular stem tendr-.
- Add the appropriate ending: -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án.
- Use yo tendré for “I will have.”
- Use tú tendrás for “you will have.”
- Use él/ella/usted tendrá for “he/she/you (formal) will have.”
- Use nosotros tendremos for “we will have.”
- Use vosotros tendréis for “you all will have.”
- Use ellos/ellas/ustedes tendrán for “they/you all will have.”
- Ensure the context matches possession or obligation.
- Practice with varied subjects to master the forms.
Conjugation Table for All Subjects
| Subject | Conjugation |
| Yo | Tendré |
| Tú | Tendrás |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Tendrá |
| Nosotros | Tendremos |
| Vosotros | Tendréis |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Tendrán |
Spelling Changes or Irregularities
The tener future tense is irregular because it uses the stem tendr- instead of the infinitive tener. There are no additional spelling changes beyond this stem irregularity, but learners must memorize this unique form to avoid confusion with regular verbs.
10–15 Sentence Examples
- Yo tendré un nuevo trabajo pronto. (I will have a new job soon.)
- Tú tendrás que estudiar más. (You will have to study more.)
- Él tendrá una bicicleta nueva. (He will have a new bicycle.)
- Ella tendrá un bebé el próximo año. (She will have a baby next year.)
- Nosotros tendremos una casa grande. (We will have a big house.)
- Vosotros tendréis un examen difícil. (You all will have a difficult exam.)
- Ellos tendrán muchas oportunidades. (They will have many opportunities.)
- Usted tendrá que llegar temprano. (You will have to arrive early.)
- María tendrá un nuevo teléfono. (María will have a new phone.)
- Los niños tendrán un parque cerca. (The children will have a park nearby.)
- No tendré suficiente tiempo mañana. (I won’t have enough time tomorrow.)
- ¿Tendrás tú una reunión? (Will you have a meeting?)
- No tendrá él un coche nuevo. (He won’t have a new car.)
- ¿Tendremos nosotros una fiesta? (Will we have a party?)
- No tendrán ellos problemas. (They won’t have problems.)
Common Mistakes with “Tener Future Tense”
- Using the infinitive tener as the stem (e.g., teneré instead of tendré).
- Forgetting the irregular stem tendr-.
- Mixing up tener with haber for possession.
- Omitting que in obligation phrases like tendré que.
- Using present tense endings (e.g., tengo instead of tendré).
- Incorrect subject-verb agreement (e.g., yo tendrá instead of yo tendré).
- Misplacing no in negative sentences (e.g., tendré no instead of no tendré).
- Confusing tener with poseer in formal contexts.
- Forgetting accents on endings like tendré or tendrás.
- Overusing tener when another verb is more appropriate.
How to Avoid These Mistakes
- Memorize the irregular stem tendr-.
- Practice conjugations for all subjects.
- Use tener for possession, not haber.
- Always include que for obligation phrases.
- Double-check future tense endings.
- Ensure subject-verb agreement.
- Place no before the conjugated verb.
- Use poseer only in formal contexts.
- Pay attention to accent marks.
- Read example sentences to understand context.
Related Verbs and Synonyms for “Tener Future Tense”
Related verbs include haber (auxiliary “to have”) and poseer (to possess). Haber is used in compound tenses (e.g., habré comido), while poseer is formal and less common. Tener is the most versatile for everyday use.
Sentence Comparisons
- Tener: Tendré un libro. (I will have a book.)
- Poseer: Poseeré una colección. (I will possess a collection, formal.)
- Haber: Habré terminado. (I will have finished, not possession.)
Tips to Practice Using “Tener Future Tense”
- Write 10 sentences using tener in the future tense.
- Practice with different subjects daily.
- Use flashcards to memorize conjugations.
- Speak sentences aloud to improve fluency.
- Create obligation sentences with tener que.
- Read Spanish texts to spot tener usage.
- Use apps like Duolingo for practice.
- Join a language exchange group.
- Watch Spanish shows to hear future tense.
- Quiz yourself on irregular stems.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the stem for tener in future tense? The stem is tendr-.
- Is tener irregular in the future tense? Yes, it uses an irregular stem.
- How do I say “I will have to” in Spanish? Use tendré que + infinitive.
- Can I use haber instead of tener? No, haber is for compound tenses.
- What are the future tense endings? They are -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án.
- Is poseer a synonym for tener? It’s similar but more formal.
- How do I form negative sentences? Place no before the conjugated verb.
- Are there spelling changes in tener? Only the stem changes to tendr-.
- Can tener express obligation? Yes, with tener que.
- How do I practice tener future tense? Write and speak sentences daily.
Exercises
- Conjugate tener for yo in the future tense.
- Write a sentence using tú tendrás.
- Create a negative sentence with él tendrá.
- Form an interrogative sentence with nosotros.
- Use tener que in a sentence.
- Translate: “They will have a dog.”
- Write a sentence with vosotros tendréis.
- Make a negative interrogative sentence.
- Conjugate tener for ellas.
- Write a sentence with usted tendrá.
Quizzes
- What is the correct conjugation for tú? (a) Tendré (b) Tendrás (c) Tendrá
- What is the stem of tener in future tense? (a) Ten- (b) Tendr- (c) Tener-
- How do you say “We will have”? (a) Tendremos (b) Tendrán (c) Tendréis
- What does tendré que mean? (a) I will have (b) I will have to (c) I had
- Is tener regular in future tense? (a) Yes (b) No
- What is the ending for ellos? (a) -á (b) -án (c) -emos
- How do you say “She won’t have”? (a) No tendrá (b) No tendré (c) No tendrás
- What verb is formal for “to have”? (a) Haber (b) Poseer (c) Estar
- What is the correct negative form for yo? (a) No tendré (b) Tendré no
- What does tendrán mean? (a) They will have (b) You will have (c) We will have
True or False
- Tener is regular in the future tense. (False)
- The stem for tener is tendr-. (True)
- Tendré means “I will have.” (True)
- Haber is used for possession. (False)
- Tendrás is for tú. (True)
- No tendré is a negative form. (True)
- Tener que expresses obligation. (True)
- Poseer is less common than tener. (True)
- The future tense endings are -o, -as, -a. (False)
- Tendremos is for nosotros. (True)
Conclusion
Mastering the tener future tense is a game-changer for Spanish learners.
By understanding its irregular stem tendr-, practicing conjugations, and using it in real-life contexts, you’ll confidently express future possession or obligations.
From simple sentences like Tendré un libro to obligation phrases like Tendrás que estudiar, this tense is versatile and essential.
Avoid common mistakes like using the wrong stem or forgetting que, and practice regularly with exercises and quizzes.
Try writing your own sentences or using a grammar checker to refine your skills.
Ready to take your Spanish to the next level? Start practicing tener future tense today and share your sentences in the comments below!
