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Film-making: 'tuve', 'tuviste', 'tuvo'
I can use preterite forms of 'tener' to discuss the work of Spanish filmmaker Icíar Bollaín.
Lesson 2 of 3
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New
- Year 9
Film-making: 'tuve', 'tuviste', 'tuvo'
I can use preterite forms of 'tener' to discuss the work of Spanish filmmaker Icíar Bollaín.
Lesson details
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- The verb 'tener' has an irregular stem in the preterite tense.
- The singular preterite forms of 'tener' are 'tuve', 'tuviste' and 'tuvo'.
- 'Tener' does not always translate as 'having'. In idiomatic expressions it can mean 'to be, being', e.g. 'tuve éxito'.
Keywords
Preterite tense - used for completed actions in the past
Tuve - I had
Tuviste - you had
Tuvo - she, he, it had
Idiomatic expression - a saying that does not always have a literal meaning and does not always translate directly into another language
Common misconception
The verb 'tener' always translates as 'to have, having'.
The verb 'tener' does not always translates as 'to have, having'. For example, in idiomatic expressions it can mean 'to be, being', e.g. 'tuve éxito' - 'I was successful'.
You could include posters and trailers of the films referenced, 'También la lluvia' and 'Maixabel', to enhance the cultural content of the lesson.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word is the opposite of 'gordo'?
Which word is the opposite of 'gordo'?
difícil
genial
joven
pálido
Q2.Order the numbers from smallest to largest.
Order the numbers from smallest to largest.
Q3.Match the Spanish and English.
Match the Spanish and English.
Q4.Match the Spanish and English.
Match the Spanish and English.
Q5.Write in English: 'un imperio peruano'.
Write in English: 'un imperio peruano'.
Q6.Write in Spanish: 'you (plural) are from Peru'.
Write in Spanish: 'you (plural) are from Peru'.
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Match the Spanish and English.
Match the Spanish and English.
Q2.Match the Spanish and English.
Match the Spanish and English.
Q3.Write in English: 'tuve éxito'.
Write in English: 'tuve éxito'.
Q4.Write in Spanish: 'you were lucky'.
Write in Spanish: 'you were lucky'.
