Introduction
Learning how to ask questions in Spanish using the verb tienes is a practical first step for beginners. This article explains the grammar, useful vocabulary, everyday examples, common mistakes, and quick practice tips so you can start asking and understanding simple questions right away.
- What does tienes mean?
- Basic question structure with tienes
- Common vocabulary to use with tienes
- Everyday example sentences with explanations
- Short dialogues to practice
- Questions about possession vs. questions about state
- Beginner tips for forming natural questions
- Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
- Practical practice exercises
- Quick reference cheat sheet
- How to combine tienes with polite phrases
- Listening and reading practice sources
- Putting it all together: a short practice scene
- Next steps after mastering tienes
- Conclusion
What does tienes mean?
The verb tienes is the second-person singular present form of tener, which means to have. Use tienes when speaking to someone you address as tú in informal situations. It is often used to ask about possession, states, age, time, and physical needs.
Key uses of tienes
Possession: asking if someone has an object
Age and basic info: asking about age or simple personal details
Physical states and needs: asking if someone feels something or has something like hambre or frío
Timing and availability: asking if someone has time or appointments
Basic question structure with tienes
In Spanish questions using tienes, you typically start with the question word if needed, then the verb, then the subject (which is often omitted because the verb form shows it), and finally the rest of the sentence. For spoken Spanish you can also use intonation without changing word order.
Simple yes/no questions
To build yes/no questions, place tienes at the beginning and add the object or complement. The subject tú is usually omitted.
Tienes hambre?
Tienes hora?
Tienes tu pasaporte?
Questions with question words
When you need a specific piece of information, start with a question word, then use tienes. Common question words are qué, cuándo, dónde, por qué, cómo, and cuánto.
Qué tienes?
Cuándo tienes clase?
Dónde tienes el concierto?
Common vocabulary to use with tienes
Here are practical words and short phrases beginners will use often after tienes.
hambre — hunger
sed — thirst
frío — cold
calor — hot
tiempo — time
móvil / celular — phone
dinero — money
pasaporte — passport
clase — class
cita — appointment
idea — idea
Everyday example sentences with explanations
Below are beginner-friendly examples you are likely to hear or use. Each example shows how tienes fits different contexts.
Tienes tiempo para hablar?
Use to ask if someone has time to talk. Useful for arranging quick conversations.
Tienes dinero para el taxi?
Good for travel situations when splitting a fare or checking payment methods.
Tienes hambre o quieres comer algo?
Asking if someone wants to eat; common when making plans with friends.
Tienes tu pasaporte y tu boleto?
Useful at the airport or before travel to confirm important documents.
Tienes fiebre?
Simple medical question at a clinic or when a friend feels unwell. A basic way to ask about symptoms.
Tienes alguna idea?
Use to ask if someone has any idea or suggestion, for meetings or planning.
Short dialogues to practice
Practice small exchanges to get comfortable hearing and using tienes in natural contexts.
A: Tienes hora?
B: Sí, son las dos y media.
A: Gracias.
A: Tienes cambio para veinte?
B: Sí, tengo cambio. ¿Cuánto necesitas?
A: Cinco dólares, por favor.
A: Tienes agua?
B: Sí, aquí tienes.
Questions about possession vs. questions about state
Although both use tienes, possession asks who owns or carries something, while state asks how someone feels or whether they have a condition. Context and the following noun or phrase tell you which meaning to use.
Tienes un lápiz?
Asks if the person has a pencil to write with.
Tienes frío?
Asks whether the person feels cold; not about owning anything.
Common short answers
Sí, tengo.
No, no tengo.
Sí, tengo uno / una.
No, lo siento, no tengo.
Sí, un poco.
Beginner tips for forming natural questions
Omit the subject tú because the verb tienes already indicates who you mean. This makes your questions shorter and more natural.
Use polite phrases when needed: to be polite, add por favor at the end of the question or start with disculpa or perdón.
When you use question words, keep them at the beginning: start with qué, cómo, dónde, cuándo, por qué, or cuánto.
Adjust formality when speaking to strangers or older people: use tiene instead of tienes if addressing usted, but this article focuses on informal tú usage.
Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
Adding unnecessary subject pronouns. Wrong: Tú tienes hora? Better: ¿Tienes hora?
Using tienes with plural subjects. Wrong: ¿Tienes ustedes hambre? Better: ¿Tienen ustedes hambre? or ¿Ustedes tienen hambre?
Forgetting accent marks on question words. Accents change meaning. Compare como (like) vs. cómo (how). Always use question-word accents in questions.
Mixing informal and formal forms in the same sentence. Choose tú and tienes or usted and tiene, but not both.
Practical practice exercises
Fill-in-the-blank practice: replace the blank with tienes or another correct form depending on the subject.
______ una pregunta?
______ tiempo esta tarde?
______ el número de teléfono de María?
Write and say aloud five personal questions you would ask a friend using tienes. For example: Tienes planes el sábado?
Role-play: with a partner, take turns asking and answering three quick questions starting with tienes about daily needs like comida, dinero, or tiempo.
Quick reference cheat sheet
Use tienes for tú (informal you). Short and common question starters:
Qué tienes? — What do you have?
Tienes hambre? — Are you hungry?
Tienes tiempo? — Do you have time?
Tienes cambio? — Do you have change?
Tienes una pregunta? — Do you have a question?
How to combine tienes with polite phrases
Add por favor at the end to be polite: Tienes un lápiz, por favor?
Use disculpa or perdón before the question to politely interrupt: Disculpa, ¿tienes un minuto?
For warmer tone with friends say Oye before the question: Oye, ¿tienes planes mañana?
Listening and reading practice sources
Check simple Spanish dialog apps, beginner podcasts, and children’s videos focused on Latin American Spanish. Look for short exchanges where friends ask each other questions about time, hunger, or items. Transcribe a sentence with tienes and practice repeating it.
Putting it all together: a short practice scene
Imagine you arrive at a small café and need help. Practice this mini-dialogue.
Cliente: Disculpa, ¿tienes menú en inglés?
Empleado: No, lo siento. ¿Tienes alguna preferencia?
Cliente: Sí, ¿tienes opciones sin gluten?
Empleado: Sí, tenemos una ensalada y una sopa sin gluten.
This scene shows real-life use of tienes for questions about availability and options.
Next steps after mastering tienes
Practice other present-tense forms of tener: yo tengo, él/ella tiene, nosotros tenemos, ustedes tienen. Learn tener expressions like tener hambre, tener sed, tener prisa, and tener que + infinitive for necessity. Combine these with questions to expand your conversational range.
Conclusion
Mastering questions with tienes gives beginners a powerful tool for everyday interactions: asking about time, possessions, needs, and simple personal information. Use the examples, dialogues, and practice tips here to build confidence and start using tienes naturally in real situations.
