In Spanish, the word ‘had’ is translated as ‘había’ or ‘había tenido’ depending on the context. Here’s a brief explanation:
- Había: This is the imperfect form of the verb ‘haber’ and is used to indicate something that existed or occurred in the past. For example, ‘Había un libro en la mesa’ means ‘There was a book on the table.’
- Había tenido: This is the past perfect form and is used to indicate something that had happened before another past event. For example, ‘Había tenido un coche antes de mudarme’ means ‘I had had a car before I moved.’
Understanding the context in which ‘had’ is used will help you choose the correct translation in Spanish.