Don’t Have in Spanish | Say It Without Sounding Awkward

Spanish usually uses “no tengo” for lacking something you possess and “no hay” for something that isn’t available or doesn’t exist in a place.

You’ll hear “don’t have” a lot in English. It’s a workhorse phrase. In Spanish, you can’t lean on one single swap every time. The clean option depends on what you mean: possession, availability, money, time, ingredients, or even permission.

This article gives you the practical patterns native speakers use, with ready-to-steal sentences you can plug into real life: travel, shops, restaurants, work chats, and everyday talk.

What “Don’t Have” Means Before You Translate It

In English, “I don’t have it” can mean a few different things:

• You don’t possess something (you aren’t carrying it, you don’t own it).
• It isn’t available (the store is out, the office doesn’t have that service).
• You don’t have time, money, or energy.
• You don’t have permission or access.

Spanish splits those meanings into different verbs and structures. Once you lock in what you mean, the Spanish becomes simple and natural.

Don’t Have in Spanish: The Two Core Choices With A Real-Life Twist

Most of the time, you’ll pick one of these:

No tengo + noun

Use “tener” when there’s a person who would possess the thing. That’s the “I/you/we don’t have” line.

• No tengo mi pasaporte. (I don’t have my passport on me.)
• No tenemos leche. (We don’t have milk.)
• No tienes señal. (You don’t have signal.)

No hay + noun

Use “haber” in its “there is/there are” sense when you’re talking about availability or existence in a place.

• No hay tallas medianas. (There aren’t medium sizes.)
• No hay taxis. (There aren’t any taxis.)
• No hay pan. (There’s no bread.)

Here’s the twist: English says “I don’t have taxis,” but Spanish says “There aren’t taxis.” That’s a classic spot where learners sound off without knowing why.

Pick “No tengo” Or “No hay” In 10 Seconds

Use this quick check:

1. If a person is the owner/holder, go with no tengo (or no tienes, no tiene, no tenemos…).
2. If it’s about what exists or is available in a place or situation, go with no hay.

Try it on common situations:

• At a café: “We don’t have oat milk.” → No tenemos leche de avena.
• Looking for parking: “There isn’t any parking.” → No hay estacionamiento.
• On your phone: “I don’t have battery.” → No tengo batería.
• In a town: “There aren’t museums here.” → No hay museos aquí.

Natural Ways To Say You Don’t Have Something

“No tengo” works a lot, but Spanish gives you other options that fit the moment better. These aren’t fancy replacements. They’re the everyday picks that match tone: casual, polite, firm, or businesslike.

Me falta / Nos falta

Use this when something is missing or you’re short on something.

• Me falta agua. (I’m short on water / I’m missing water.)
• Nos falta una silla. (We’re missing a chair.)
• Me falta tiempo. (I don’t have time.)

No me queda / No nos queda

Use this when you ran out of something.

• No me queda dinero. (I’ve got no money left.)
• No nos queda pan. (We have no bread left.)

No dispongo de

This one sounds formal and fits business or official talk.

• No dispongo de esa información. (I don’t have that information.)
• No disponemos de stock. (We don’t have stock available.)

No cuento con

Use this for “I don’t have” in the sense of “I don’t have access to / I don’t have the resources.”

• No cuento con coche. (I don’t have a car.)
• No contamos con personal suficiente. (We don’t have enough staff.)

No existe / No está disponible

These fit products, services, options, or features.

• Esa opción no existe. (That option doesn’t exist.)
• Ahora no está disponible. (It isn’t available right now.)

When you’re not sure, start with “no tengo” for personal possession and “no hay” for availability. Then add these alternates as you get comfortable.

What You Mean In English	Natural Spanish	When It Fits Best
I don’t have it on me	No lo tengo	Objects you could carry or possess right now
We don’t have that item (at home/work)	No tenemos + sustantivo	Inventory, supplies, ingredients you control
They don’t have any (in the store)	No hay + sustantivo	Availability in a place; shelves are empty
There aren’t any left	No quedan	Running out; what remains is zero
I’m missing one thing	Me falta + sustantivo	Gaps, missing pieces, short on time or money
I don’t have access/resources	No cuento con	Access, resources, staffing, tools
I don’t have that info (formal)	No dispongo de	Emails, meetings, official requests
That option doesn’t exist	No existe	Rules, features, settings, services
It’s not available right now	No está disponible	Temporary outages, bookings, items out of stock

How To Say “Don’t Have Any” And “Don’t Have Anything”

English often uses “any” and “anything.” Spanish handles this with negative words like “nada,” “ninguno/ninguna,” and “nadie,” and it follows a pattern called negative agreement. The Real Academia Española has a clear note on this in its guidance on double negation in Spanish.

These are the daily patterns you’ll use:

• No tengo nada. (I don’t have anything.)
• No tengo ningún problema. (I don’t have any problem.)
• No tengo ninguna idea. (I don’t have any idea.)
• No hay nadie. (There’s nobody.)
• No hay nada aquí. (There’s nothing here.)

A simple tip: if the negative word comes after the verb, keep “no” before the verb. That’s the normal flow in everyday Spanish.

Don’t Have Time, Money, Or Energy In Spanish

These are the “don’t have” uses you’ll say all the time. Spanish gives you a few clean options that match tone.

Time

• No tengo tiempo. (Straight, common.)
• Me falta tiempo. (Feels like you’re short on time.)
• No me da el tiempo. (Colloquial in many places.)

Money

• No tengo dinero. (Plain.)
• No me queda dinero. (None left.)
• Ando corto de dinero. (Casual.)

Energy / Strength

• No tengo energía. (Common.)
• No tengo fuerzas. (When you’re wiped out.)
• Hoy no doy más. (Colloquial; “I’m done for today.”)

If you want to soften the message, tack on a short reason. Spanish does that constantly in real conversation.

• No tengo tiempo, estoy en una reunión. (I don’t have time, I’m in a meeting.)
• No me queda dinero, cobro la semana que viene. (I’ve got no money left, I get paid next week.)

Polite And Professional Ways To Say “I Don’t Have”

Sometimes “no tengo” is fine, but you may want a calmer, more professional tone. These phrases keep it courteous without sounding stiff.

For customer service and email

• No dispongo de esa información en este momento. (I don’t have that information right now.)
• En este momento no contamos con ese servicio. (We don’t have that service right now.)
• Ahora mismo no hay disponibilidad. (There’s no availability right now.)

For quick in-person replies

• Ahora no lo tengo. (I don’t have it right now.)
• Lo siento, no me queda. (Sorry, I’m out.)
• Perdona, no hay. (Sorry, there isn’t any.)

If you’re writing formally, avoid making “haber” plural in phrases like “habían muchas personas” in formal registers. The RAE’s Diccionario panhispánico de dudas notes the recommended impersonal use of “haber” in careful writing.

Common Mistakes That Make “Don’t Have” Sound Off

Using “no tengo” when it should be “no hay”

If you mean “there isn’t any,” stick with “no hay.” A shop clerk wouldn’t say “no tengo baños” to mean “there aren’t bathrooms.” They’d say “no hay baños.”

Forgetting object pronouns

English says “I don’t have it.” Spanish often prefers the pronoun:

• No lo tengo. (I don’t have it.)
• No la tengo. (I don’t have it, feminine noun.)
• No los tengo / No las tengo. (Plural.)

Overusing “no tener” for every kind of absence

“No tengo” is safe, but Spanish often sounds smoother with “no hay” (availability), “me falta” (missing), or “no me queda” (ran out). Rotate them based on the moment.

Ready-To-Use Sentences For Travel, Shops, And Daily Life

Below are plug-and-play lines. Swap the noun and you’re set.

Situation	What To Say In Spanish	What It Means
Forgot an item	No lo tengo conmigo	I don’t have it with me
Out of an ingredient	No nos queda sal	We have no salt left
Store is out	No hay en stock	There’s none in stock
No availability	No hay plazas	There are no spots
No time to talk	Ahora no tengo tiempo	I don’t have time right now
Need one missing item	Me falta una copia	I’m missing a copy
No access	No cuento con acceso	I don’t have access
No cash left	No me queda efectivo	I have no cash left

A Simple Practice Routine That Sticks

If you want this to become automatic, do this for a week:

1. Pick five nouns you use daily (tiempo, dinero, batería, leche, entradas).
2. Make two sentences with no tengo and two with no hay.
3. Add one sentence with me falta or no me queda.
4. Say them out loud once in the morning, once at night.

You’ll start feeling the meaning split: possession vs availability. Once that clicks, “don’t have” stops being a guessing game.

Mini Cheat Sheet You Can Reuse Anywhere

When you’re about to say “don’t have” in Spanish, run this quick mental check:

• Person lacks it: No tengo / No tienes / No tenemos…
• Place lacks it: No hay…
• Missing one piece: Me falta…
• Ran out: No me queda / No quedan…
• Formal tone: No dispongo de… / No contamos con…