Haver and Tenir in Catalan

Overview

Catalan has two important verbs that both relate to "having": haver and tenir. While they may seem similar at first, they serve very different purposes. Understanding this distinction is essential at the A1 level.

Tenir means "to have" in the sense of possession or ownership. It is also used in many idiomatic expressions where English uses "to be": tenir fam (to be hungry), tenir son (to be sleepy), tenir raó (to be right). Haver functions primarily as an auxiliary verb for compound tenses (like English "have" in "I have eaten") and in the key expression hi ha (there is / there are).

Both verbs are highly irregular, so their forms need to be memorized. You will use them constantly — tenir for describing what you possess and how you feel, and haver for compound tenses and expressing existence.

How It Works

Present Tense Conjugation

Person	Haver	Tenir
jo	he	tinc
tu	has	tens
ell/ella/vostè	ha	té
nosaltres	hem	tenim
vosaltres	heu	teniu
ells/elles/vostès	han	tenen

Uses of Haver

Use	Example
Compound tenses (auxiliary)	He menjat. (I have eaten.)
Existence: hi ha	Hi ha un parc aquí a prop. (There is a park nearby.)
Obligation: haver de	He d'anar al metge. (I have to go to the doctor.)

Tenir Expressions

Expression	Meaning
tenir fam	to be hungry
tenir set	to be thirsty
tenir son	to be sleepy
tenir fred	to be cold
tenir calor	to be hot
tenir raó	to be right
tenir por	to be afraid
tenir pressa	to be in a hurry
tenir sort	to be lucky
tenir anys	to be ... years old

Examples in Context

Catalan	English	Note
Hi ha un parc aquí a prop.	There is a park nearby.	Existence — haver
Jo tinc dos germans.	I have two siblings.	Possession — tenir
Tens fam?	Are you hungry?	Idiomatic expression — tenir
Tinc raó.	I am right.	Idiomatic — tenir
He acabat la feina.	I have finished the work.	Auxiliary — haver
Tinc vint-i-cinc anys.	I am twenty-five years old.	Age — tenir
Hi ha molta gent al mercat.	There are many people at the market.	Existence — haver
He de sortir ara.	I have to leave now.	Obligation — haver de
Tenim un problema.	We have a problem.	Possession — tenir
No tinc por.	I am not afraid.	Idiomatic — tenir

Common Mistakes

Using "ser" instead of "tenir" for age

• Wrong: Sóc vint anys.
• Right: Tinc vint anys.
• Why: In Catalan (like Spanish and French), age is expressed with "having" years, not "being" years.

Using "estar" instead of "tenir" for physical states

• Wrong: Estic fam.
• Right: Tinc fam.
• Why: Hunger, thirst, cold, heat, sleepiness, and fear all use tenir, not estar.

Confusing "hi ha" singular/plural

• Right: Hi ha un gat. (There is a cat.) / Hi ha tres gats. (There are three cats.)
• Why: Unlike English, which switches between "there is" and "there are," Catalan always uses hi ha regardless of the number.

Forgetting "de" in the obligation construction

• Wrong: He anar al metge.
• Right: He d'anar al metge.
• Why: The obligation construction is haver de + infinitive, not just haver + infinitive.

Practice Tips

1. Memorize the tenir expressions as fixed phrases. Practice saying: "Tinc fam, tinc set, tinc son, tinc fred, tinc calor" while touching your stomach, throat, eyes, arms, and forehead respectively.
2. Practice the difference between "tinc" (I possess) and "he" (I have done) by alternating: "Tinc un gat" (possession) → "He vist un gat" (compound tense).
3. Use "hi ha" to describe your surroundings: "A la meva habitació hi ha un llit, hi ha una taula, hi ha dos llibres..."

Related Concepts

• Subject Pronouns — pronouns used with these conjugations
• Body and Health — health expressions using tenir
• Present Perfect — compound tense using haver as auxiliary