You’re standing in a bustling market in Mexico City or maybe a small tapas bar in Madrid. You want to ask a simple question. You want to know what the vendor has in stock or what the waiter recommends. But your brain freezes. You know the words, yet they feel clunky. Honestly, learning how to say what do you have in spanish is less about memorizing a single phrase and more about grasping how Spanish speakers actually navigate ownership and availability in the real world.
Most beginners default to a literal translation. It's safe. It's grammatically correct. But it’s often not how people actually talk.
If you look at the most basic version, you’re looking at ¿Qué tienes? or ¿Qué tiene usted? if you're being formal. It’s functional. But context is everything here. If you’re at a friend's house, ¿Qué tienes? might actually mean "What's wrong with you?" rather than "What do you have in your hand?" Spanish is notoriously high-context.
The Raw Basics of Possession
The verb tener is your workhorse. It’s the primary way to express having something.
Let's break it down. ¿Qué tienes? (Informal). ¿Qué tiene? (Formal). Simple enough, right? But Spanish doesn't just stop at the verb. You've got to consider the nuances of who you are talking to. If you are in a retail setting, you might lean toward ¿Qué tienen? (plural) because you are asking what the "store" or the "establishment" has available.
Language experts like Dr. Bill VanPatten, a renowned figure in second language acquisition, often emphasize that learners focus too much on the "output" of a single phrase rather than understanding the "input" of how it's used. In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking what someone "has" is often replaced by asking what "there is."
The "Hay" Alternative
Sometimes, what do you have in spanish isn't even about the verb "to have."
Enter hay. This little word is a derivative of haber and it basically means "there is" or "there are." In a restaurant, instead of asking ¿Qué tiene?, many locals will simply ask ¿Qué hay? It’s punchy. It’s efficient. It’s very common in places like Argentina or Colombia.
If you walk into a bakery and ask ¿Qué hay de bueno today?, you’re asking "What’s good today?" but literally "What is there of good?" It sounds more natural than a stiff, formal inquiry.
Regional Variations That Change Everything
Spanish isn't a monolith. The way you ask what do you have in spanish in Bogotá isn't necessarily how you'd do it in San Juan or Seville.
In many parts of the Caribbean, people talk fast. Words get clipped. You might hear ¿Qué tú tienes? with the pronoun "tú" thrown in before the verb for emphasis, which is a structural quirk common in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. In Spain, you'll encounter the vosotros form if you're talking to a group of friends: ¿Qué tenéis? Then there’s the "voseo." If you’re in the Southern Cone—think Argentina, Uruguay, or parts of Central America—the word "tú" disappears. It’s replaced by vos. So, instead of ¿Qué tienes?, you get ¿Qué tenés? with the accent on the last syllable. It sounds melodic. It feels different. If you use tienes in Buenos Aires, they’ll know you’re a tourist immediately. That’s not a bad thing, but if you want to blend in, you’ve gotta adapt.
Navigating Specific Scenarios
Let’s get practical. You aren’t just asking this question in a vacuum. You’re usually trying to solve a problem.
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At a Restaurant or Bar
- ¿Qué tienen de tomar? (What do you have to drink?)
- ¿Qué hay fuera de carta? (What do you have off-menu/specials?)
- ¿Qué tiene la sopa? (What's in the soup? / What does the soup have?)
Notice how the question changes from "what do you own" to "what are the components."
At a Store or Market
- ¿Tienen algo para el dolor de cabeza? (Do you have something for a headache?)
- ¿Qué tiene de oferta? (What do you have on sale?)
- ¿No tiene otra talla? (Don't you have another size?)
Using the negative ¿No tiene...? is a very common way to politely ask if something else is available. It’s less demanding than the English "Do you have...?" which can sometimes sound a bit blunt if not softened by tone.
The Problem With Literal Translation
One mistake people make is trying to translate "What do you have?" when they actually mean "What's the matter?"
If you see a friend looking sad and ask ¿Qué tienes?, you are spot on. But if you see a waiter and ask ¿Qué tienes?, it might sound slightly too personal or even aggressive depending on your tone. Adding a "nos" (us) can help if you're in a group: ¿Qué nos tiene hoy? (What do you have for us today?)
It makes the interaction feel like a shared experience rather than a transaction.
Common Misunderstandings and Nuances
A lot of people think poseer (to possess) is a good substitute for tener. It isn't. Not really. Unless you’re writing a legal document or a very formal 19th-century novel, stay away from poseer. It makes you sound like a robot or a billionaire talking about his land holdings.
Another thing to watch for is the use of contar con. This means "to count on" or "to have available."
In a business context, you might ask, ¿Con qué recursos contamos? (What resources do we have?). It’s a more professional way to frame the question. It suggests a level of readiness and planning.
The Role of Body Language
You can't talk about Spanish without talking about the hands.
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Often, the verbal part of what do you have in spanish is accompanied by a palms-up gesture. It signals openness. It turns a question into an invitation. If you just bark ¿Qué tiene? without a smile or a nod, you might get a cold response.
Culturally, interactions in Spanish-speaking countries are often more social than in the US or UK. A little small talk—a buenos días or buenas tardes—before asking what they have goes a long way.
Technical Grammar Check (The Boring But Necessary Bit)
For those who like the mechanics, here is how the conjugation of tener looks in the present tense for this specific question:
- Yo tengo (I have)
- Tú tienes (You have - informal)
- Él/Ella/Usted tiene (He/She/You - formal)
- Nosotros tenemos (We have)
- Vosotros tenéis (You all have - Spain)
- Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes tienen (They/You all have)
If you are asking a business what they have, use tienen. If you are asking a street vendor you've never met, use tiene. If you are asking your cousin, use tienes.
Advanced Phrases for the Savvy Traveler
If you want to move beyond the basics, try these:
- ¿Qué me recomienda? (What do you recommend? - This is often what you actually mean when asking what a place "has.")
- ¿Qué hay de nuevo? (What's new? / What do you have that's new?)
- ¿Qué trae el plato? (What does the dish come with/have?)
Using traer (to bring) is a clever way to ask about the contents of something. It shifts the focus from the person owning the item to the item itself.
Why "What Do You Have" Matters
At its core, this phrase is about connection. You are looking for something, and someone else provides it.
Whether it's information, food, or a physical object, the way you ask defines the relationship. Language isn't just a tool for data transfer; it's a social lubricant. By mastering the variations of what do you have in spanish, you're showing respect for the local dialect and the social norms of the person you're speaking with.
I remember being in a tiny village in the Andes. I asked a woman at a stall ¿Qué tiene? and she just looked at me. I realized I was being too direct. I reset. I asked about her day. I looked at the produce. Then I asked, ¿Qué hay de rico hoy? (What is there that's tasty today?)
She beamed. She showed me these tiny, purple potatoes I'd never seen before. The "what" was the same, but the "how" changed the whole experience.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Conversation
Stop overthinking the grammar. If you get the verb ending slightly wrong, people will still understand you.
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Start by observing. If you’re in a shop, listen to what the person in front of you says. Do they use tener? Do they use hay? Do they just point and say ¿Qué es esto? (What is this?)
Try using ¿Qué tienen? next time you go into a restaurant. It’s a safe middle ground that works almost everywhere. It’s polite because it acknowledges the staff as a whole, but it’s not so formal that it feels stiff.
If you’re feeling bold, try the local flavor. If you’re in Mexico, throw in a ¿Qué hubo? as a greeting, which technically comes from "What was there?" but functions as "What's up?"
Practice the "voseo" if you're heading to Argentina. It’s a small change—just moving the accent—but it makes a massive difference in how you are perceived.
Check your tone. A question in Spanish is often marked more by a rising intonation at the end of the sentence than by a change in word order. In English, we swap words: "You have" becomes "Do you have?" In Spanish, Tú tienes stays Tú tienes, you just make it sound like a question.
Don't forget the power of disculpe (excuse me) or perdón. Tacking that onto the front of your question makes even the most basic ¿Qué tiene? sound sophisticated and respectful.
Keep your sentences short. Don't try to build a complex narrative around your request. The more concise you are, the less likely you are to trip over your own tongue. Spanish is a language that rewards clarity and rhythm over flowery complexity in daily interactions.
Focus on the verb tener for direct ownership and hay for general availability. Once you have those two down, you can navigate about 90% of all "what do you have" situations in the Spanish-speaking world without breaking a sweat. It's about being understood and making a connection, not winning a spelling bee.
Go out there. Make mistakes. Get corrected. It's the only way the language actually sticks. Real-world practice beats a phone app every single time.
Next time you find yourself at a counter, take a breath, ditch the textbook script, and just ask. You'll be surprised how much people are willing to help when they see you're trying to speak their language on their terms.