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This is one of the most confusing topics in the Spanish language. "Tuvo" is in the preterit, and "tenía" is in the imperfect. The confusion comes about because English really has no counterpart for the imperfect. We only have one past tense, and Spanish has two. In English, we need to use a construction to express the mood of the imperfect, as in "used to..." or "was/were + gerund." There really is no direct conjugation for it.
There are many "technical" reasons to use one or the other tense in Spanish, but for the most part, the preterit (tuvo) concerns things that begin and end at a specific time in the past i.e. a singular event, or "dot" in the past. The imperfect (tenía) concerns things that occur over time, in other words, a "line" in the past. Not necessarily continuous things, but recurring many times.
A couple of examples: Tuvo que ir a la playa. He had to go to the beach. This would be a one time shot - the person involved had to go to the beach one specific time.
Tenía que ir a la playa. Think of this as "He was having to go to the beach", or maybe "He used to have to go to the beach." The need to go to the beach was recurrent or continuous in the past.
There are many very involved discussions of this topic, and the imperfect is used in other circumstances, but this is really at the heart of it, I believe.
What else can I help you with?
How do you spell had in Spanish in imperfect form?
Tuvo
When he was your age in spanish?
translation: cuando el tenia tu edad
How do you say he had a temperature of 101 in spanish?
Tenia una temperatura de cientiun grados
Que es el verdadero nombre de victorino gallardo cuando tenia 13 anos?
Pedro Perez
Cuantos anos tiene Lorena Errera?
Lei en su biografia en wikipedia que tenia 42 anso, ya esta bastante grandesita y con un cuerpaso, no cren?
How do you say 'had you' in Spanish?
tuve (I had); tuvo (he/she had); tuvieron (they had).the spanish word for had is tenia
When was Mary tuvo la culpa created?
Mary tuvo la culpa was created in 1950.
Cuantas dinastias tuvo el imperio antiguo de egipto?
Tuvo un total de XXXI dinastías
What does the word had means in spanish?
tuvo
When was La Culpa la tuvo el otro created?
La Culpa la tuvo el otro was created in 1950.
What does que tenia mi cora?
Nothing but nonsense! If you meant: 'tenia mi corazon' - You (formal)/he/she had my heart
When was Tenia Taylor born?
Tenia Taylor was born on April 27, 1980, in Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
How do you spell had in Spanish in imperfect form?
Tuvo
What actors and actresses appeared in Shakespeare tuvo una hermana - 2013?
The cast of Shakespeare tuvo una hermana - 2013 includes: Fernanda Castillo as Marcela
What actors and actresses appeared in Esa noche tuvo la culpa - 1939?
The cast of Esa noche tuvo la culpa - 1939 includes: Olga Perry
What are the release dates for The Texan - 1958 Johnny Tuvo 2-37?
The Texan - 1958 Johnny Tuvo 2-37 was released on: USA: 30 May 1960
What are the ratings and certificates for La culpa la tuvo el otro - 1950?
La culpa la tuvo el otro - 1950 is rated/received certificates of: Argentina:Atp
