Portuguese · Everyday Verbs
"to have" in Portuguese: ter
ter
To have in Portuguese is ter. Present forms beginners need are eu tenho and você tem. Use ter for possessions and also for many states, like ter fome for being hungry.
Talking about pets
Gosto de ter dois gatos em casa.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce ter
Say it
tehr / TEN-yoo / tayñ
/ˈteʁ/
tehr. Eu tenho is TEN-yoo; você tem sounds like tayñ.
"to have" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ter | to have Dictionary form. | Dictionary form. |
| eu tenho | I have First-person present. | First-person present. |
| você tem | you have Default Brazilian you form. | Default Brazilian you form. |
| ter que | to have to Obligation: Eu tenho que trabalhar. | Obligation: Eu tenho que trabalhar. |
| ter fome / ter sede | to be hungry / thirsty State expressions with ter. | State expressions with ter. |
How to use ter in real life
- 1Talking about pets
Gosto de ter dois gatos em casa.
I like having two cats at home.
Ter stays in the infinitive after gosto de.
- 2Asking a friend
Você tem um carregador aí?
Do you have a charger there?
Você tem is the everyday question pattern.
- 3Before lunch
Estou atrasado porque tenho que terminar isto.
I'm late because I have to finish this.
Ter que expresses obligation.
Mistakes English speakers make with ter
Incorrect: Eu ter um carro.
Correct: Eu tenho um carro.
Conjugate ter: eu tenho, not the infinitive.
Incorrect: Eu sou fome.
Correct: Ter fome / Eu tenho fome. / Estou com fome.
Hunger uses ter fome or estar com fome, not ser.
Good to know
Brazilian Portuguese uses ter in many places English uses to be: ter fome, ter sono, ter razão. Learning those chunks early makes you sound natural faster than translating word for word.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Borrowing a phone charger at a café
ChatPal
Desculpa, você tem um carregador de iPhone?
Sorry, do you have an iPhone charger?
You
Tenho sim. Eu tenho um na mochila.
Yes, I do. I have one in my backpack.
ChatPal
Que alívio. Meu celular tem só dois por cento.
What a relief. My phone has only two percent.
You
Pode usar. Eu tenho outro cabo em casa.
Go ahead. I have another cable at home.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to have" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to have" in Portuguese
How do I conjugate ter in the present?
Eu tenho, você/ele/ela tem, nós temos, vocês/eles têm.
How do I say I have to…?
Eu tenho que… Example: Eu tenho que estudar.
How do I say I'm hungry?
Eu tenho fome or Estou com fome. Both are common.
Does Portugal use ter the same way?
Yes for possession. Some set phrases differ, but ter is shared.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
