Take the fastest path to fluent Spanish
In Spanish there are different ways to express a completed action. We can use the verb tener with this purpose too.
Learn about accumulated actions with tener + past participle in Spanish
In Spanish we can use the verb tener followed by a past participle to express the completion of an action. The effect of using this verbal structure is similar to using haber + participle, however using tener gives a nuance of a result obtained after accumulation or repetition of actions.Let's see some examples:
Notice how the past participle must agree in gender and number with the noun acting as a direct object. (escritas/páginas; pintadas/habitaciones: feminine plural noun)
Here are some more examples:
In all of the above sentences there is a nuance of an accumulation or repetition of actions to get to a result.
For example:
Tengo pintadas dos habitaciones.
implies that there is a repetition of an action, in this case, painting rooms, one after another, with a result expressed with "tengo pintadas dos habitaciones".
¿Tienes ya pensada la estrategia?
implies that there has been an accumulation of "thinking" with a result expressed with "tienes pensada".
If we simply used the perfect tense with haber, this nuance wouldn't exist. It would just express a completed action.
He pintado dos habitaciones.
He pensado en la estrategia.
Bear in mind that the object can be expressed with an infinitive; in this case, the past participle is singular as if it was a singular noun:
Sometimes this verbal structure implies an indication of keeping someone in a certain state (sometimes as a result following an accumulation/repetition of events). For example:
Notice how in all the examples there is a direct object pronoun (me, nos, la) because it is always about the effect on "someone".
Note on pensar/decidir
Bear in mind that the verbs pensar and decidir are often used with tener to express to have something figured out (more than the literal to have something thought/decided), so we often use tener decidido algo and tener pensado algo with the idea of having something worked out, having thought over it and come to a conclusion.
Ya tengo pensado un buen plan para esta noche.
I've got a plan all worked out for tonight.
No tengo decidido qué voy a ponerme.
I haven't figured out what I'm wearing.
There is a very similar structure conveying the same meaning. See Using llevar + past participle to express the completion of an action so far (perífrasis verbal)
Want to make sure your Spanish sounds confident? We’ll map your knowledge and give you free lessons to focus on your gaps and mistakes. Start your Brainmap today »
Learn more about these related Spanish grammar topics
Examples and resources
¿Tienes ya pensada la estrategia para convencer a Inés?Do you have a plan to persuade Inés figured out yet?
Tienes pintadas dos habitaciones. Falta una más para terminar.You have two rooms painted. There is one more left to finish.
Tenemos pensado regalarle a Irene un móvil nuevo.We've thought about buying a new mobile phone for Irene.
Yo tenía organizados todos los documentos en orden alfabético.I had all the documents organised in alphabetical order.
