Ter (to have) in Portuguese

Overview

The verb ter (to have) is one of the most versatile and frequently used verbs at the beginner (CEFR A1) level in Portuguese. It is irregular in the present tense: tenho, tens, tem, temos, tendes, tem (note the circumflex accent on the third person plural).

Beyond simple possession, ter is used in many idiomatic expressions where English would use "to be": ter fome (to be hungry), ter sede (to be thirsty), ter medo (to be afraid), ter razao (to be right), and ter anos (to be ... years old). It also serves as the auxiliary verb in compound tenses.

The expression ter de or ter que (to have to, must) adds the concept of obligation, making ter a Swiss Army knife of a verb that learners will use in nearly every conversation.

How It Works

Present tense conjugation of ter:

Person	Form	Example
eu	tenho	Tenho fome. (I am hungry.)
tu	tens	Quantos anos tens? (How old are you?)
ele/ela/voce	tem	Tem razao. (He/She is right.)
nos	temos	Temos de ir. (We have to go.)
vos	tendes	Tendes tempo? (Do you have time?)
eles/elas/voces	tem	Tem medo. (They are afraid.)

Note the circumflex accent distinguishing singular tem from plural tem.

Main uses of ter:

1. Possession: Tenho um carro. (I have a car.)
2. Age: Tenho vinte anos. (I am twenty years old.)
3. Physical states: ter fome (be hungry), ter sede (be thirsty), ter frio (be cold)
4. Emotional states: ter medo (be afraid), ter vergonha (be ashamed)
5. Obligation: ter de/que + infinitive: Tenho de estudar. (I have to study.)
6. Auxiliary: Tenho estudado muito. (I have been studying a lot.)

Examples in Context

Portuguese	English	Note
Tenho fome.	I'm hungry.
Quantos anos tens?	How old are you?
Temos de ir.	We have to go.
Eles têm razão.	They are right.
Tenho um carro.	I have a car.	possession
Tenho vinte anos.	I am twenty years old.	age
Tem sede?	Are you thirsty?	physical state
Temos de estudar.	We have to study.	obligation
Tem vergonha.	He is ashamed.	emotional
Tenho frio.	I am cold.	physical
Tens razao.	You are right.	idiomatic

Common Mistakes

Using ser/estar instead of ter for age

• Wrong: Sou vinte anos. or Estou vinte anos.
• Right: Tenho vinte anos.
• Why: Portuguese uses "to have" for age, not "to be."

Using ser/estar for physical states

• Wrong: Sou fome. or Estou fome.
• Right: Tenho fome.
• Why: Portuguese uses ter for hunger, thirst, cold, heat, fear, etc.

Confusing tem (singular) with tem (plural)

• Wrong: Writing both forms identically
• Right: Ele tem (sg.) vs. Eles tem (pl., with circumflex)
• Why: The accent distinguishes singular from plural.

Forgetting ter de/que for obligation

• Wrong: Eu devo ir. (sounds overly formal)
• Right: Tenho de/que ir.
• Why: Ter de/que is the most natural way to express obligation in everyday Portuguese.

Usage Notes

The verb ter functions identically in Brazilian and European Portuguese, though there are differences in compound tense usage. In Brazil, the present perfect compound (tenho feito) is used differently from Portugal, where it implies repeated or ongoing action.

The expression ter de (obligation) is slightly preferred in Portugal, while ter que is more common in Brazil. Both are universally understood.

Practice Tips

1. Memorize the common ter expressions (ter fome, ter sede, ter medo, ter razao, ter anos) as fixed phrases.
2. Practice using ter de/que + infinitive to express daily obligations.
3. Pay attention to the accent difference between tem (singular) and tem (plural).

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Subject Pronouns -- provides the foundational knowledge needed for ter (to have)
• Next steps: Há (there is/are) -- builds on ter (to have) concepts