For example,
Tengo que ir al colegio.
Instead of using "voy", ir was used. Why is that?
Thanks.
We express obligation when talking about things we have to do. Look at these examples:
Tengo que ir al colegio.
I have to go to school.
Tienes que comer sano.
You have to eat healthily.
Tiene que salir ahora.
He has to leave now.
Tenemos que salir todos los días.
We have to go out every day.
Note that when you use tener que + infinitivo it means to have to + infinitive.
You cannot omit que!
Learn more about these related Spanish grammar topics
Examples and resources
Tenemos que salir todos los días.
We have to go out every day.
Tengo que ir al colegio.
I have to go to school.
Tienes que comer sano.
You have to eat healthily.
Tienen que llegar a tiempo.
They have to arrive on time.
Tenéis que hacer la compra.
You have to do the shopping.
Tiene que salir ahora.
He has to leave now.
Q&A Forum 4 questions, 7 answers
LouieKwiziq community member
Is the verb not conjugated whenever you're expressing obligation?
Asked 2 months ago
InmaKwiziq team member
Hola Louie
With modal verbs we don't conjugate the main verb that comes after. You always need the infinitive.
What you need to conjugate is the modal/auxiliary verb.
Tengo que ir al colegio.
Debes ir al médico.
Quiero comprar un helado.
Saludos
Inma
Louie asked:View original
Is the verb not conjugated whenever you're expressing obligation?
For example,
Tengo que ir al colegio.
Instead of using "voy", ir was used. Why is that?
Thanks.
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NicoleKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Reply to Alex's question
I was wondering if there was a reply to his question below:
"didn't need to (infinitive) & needn't have (past participle) are used to express the lack of necessity in the past, ..."
Asked 4 months ago
Hola Nicole
I am copying here what I replied to Alex (the answer was on a different thread):
For the first one "I didn't need to have an interview" we would say:
Yo no necesitaba hacer la entrevista.
It is very straight forward in this case.
However, for the second one "I needn't have cooked dinner" we would either say:
Al final, no hacía falta hacer la cena.
or
Podía/Podría haberme ahorrado hacer la cena.
This way you get the meaning of something you did but it wasn't necessary in the end.
I hope this helps.
Inma
Nicole asked:View original
Reply to Alex's question
I was wondering if there was a reply to his question below:
"didn't need to (infinitive) & needn't have (past participle) are used to express the lack of necessity in the past, ..."
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AlexanderKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Lack of necessity a postetiori
Hola))
What is a Spanish equivalent for needn't have (done)?
Asked 1 year ago
InmaKwiziq team member
Hi Alexander,
Could you give me a bit of context so I can be more accurate in my reply please?
Inma
AlexanderKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Hola Inma!
didn't need to (infinitive) & needn't have (past participle) are used to express the lack of necessity in the past, however
didn't need implies that the speaker didn't do something because he/she new that it was not necessary
needn't have means the speaker did something and then he/she knew that it had not been necessary
for example:
I didn't need to have an interview because I had worked there before
I needn't have cooked dinner. Just as it was ready, Chris and June phoned to say that they couldn't come to eat
(examples are taken from Advanced Grammar in Use by Martin Hewings)
How can I express it in Spanish?
Regards,
Alexander
Alexander asked:View original
Lack of necessity a postetiori
Hola))
What is a Spanish equivalent for needn't have (done)?
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ElseKwiziq community member
what's the difference between 'Tienes que comer sano'. and 'Il faut comer sano.'
Asked 2 years ago
GeneKwiziq community member
Do you mean, "hace falta comer" or "il faut s'alimenter"?
The difference is between obligation and necessity (or a want of something).
https://www.thoughtco.com/expressing-obligation-spanish-3079893
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKFTh4tly38
There are instances where there is no difference in meaning:
tenemos que ir rápido
hace falta ir rápido
NicoleKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
I don't know if Gene is still with you, but that was a brilliant suggestion to watch the youtube video. I just watched it and it gives a really good sense of this subject. Well done. Nicole
Else asked:View original
what's the difference between 'Tienes que comer sano'. and 'Il faut comer sano.'
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