Spanish Phrase
¿Tenemos tarea?
Meaning
Literally, ‘Do we have homework?’, this question asks whether there is any assigned work to be done, usually after a class or at the end of the school day.
When to use
Use this phrase in a classroom setting, during a study group, or when you’re checking with classmates whether a teacher gave any assignments for the next day.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tenemostarea
Present Indicative – tener
‘Tenemos’ is the 1st‑person plural form of the verb ‘tener’ (to have) in the present indicative, used for statements and questions about current possession.
Question Marks
Spanish uses an opening (¿) and closing (?) question mark; the verb stays in normal order, no inversion is required.
Noun ‘tarea’
‘Tarea’ means ‘homework’ or ‘assignment’; it is a feminine singular noun, so the article would be ‘la tarea’ if you needed one.
🗨In Conversation
¿Tenemos tarea?
Do we have homework?
Sí, la profesora dejó ejercicios de matemáticas.
Yes, the teacher assigned math exercises.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Tienes tarea?
‘Tienes’ is 2nd‑person singular; use ‘tenemos’ when speaking for the whole group.
¿Tenemos las tarea?
‘Tarea’ is singular; the correct article is ‘la tarea’ or no article in a question.
Tenemos tarea?
Leaving out the opening question mark is a common typo; Spanish always requires both marks.
↔Alternatives
¿Hay tarea?
Is there homework?
¿Tenemos deberes?
Do we have assignments?
¿Nos toca tarea?
Do we have homework to do?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries ‘tarea’ is the everyday word for school homework, while ‘deberes’ sounds a bit more formal or old‑fashioned. Teachers often give a brief oral reminder at the end of class, so asking ‘¿Tenemos tarea?’ is a natural way to confirm the workload before you head home.