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In colloquial Spanish we use this verbal structure:
The verb tocar (conjugated in the 3rd person singular) + infinitivo
with different meanings and nuances.
Tocar: something must be done/someone must do something
For example:
In this sentence it is used as an impersonal verb "toca", but most of the time it is accompanied by an indirect object pronoun to reinforce who needs to do it. We can also say:
Tocar: it is somebody's turn to do something
For example, while playing a game:
or when talking about tasks:
Remember that tocar + infinitive works the same way the verb gustar does, with the difference that tocar is always conjugated in the 3rd person singular of any tense but never the 3rd person plural. The subject of the sentence is the infinitive.
This would be incorrect:
"Les tocaron recoger todo y fregar el suelo."
This is correct:
"Les tocó recoger todo y fregar el suelo."
(They had to tidy up everything and mop the floor.)
Here are more examples with other tenses:
Cuando yo sea vieja, te tocará aguantar mis impertinencias.When I am old you will have to put up with my nonsense.
Here is a list of expressions using the verb tocar.
Used this way, tocar works the same way we use gustar, as an "inverted verb". Here is a list of inverted verbs.
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