Portuguese · Everyday Verbs
"must (to have to)" in Portuguese: ter que
ter que
Note: also: dever
To have to in Portuguese is ter que (also ter de). Say eu tenho que and você tem que. Dever also means should/must, but ter que is the everyday obligation.
Morning rush
Tenho que sair agora ou perco o ônibus.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce ter que
Say it
tehr kee / TEN-yoo kee
/ˈteʁ ˈke/
tehr kee. Eu tenho que is TEN-yoo kee.
"must (to have to)" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ter que | to have to Default obligation. | Default obligation. |
| eu tenho que | I have to First person. | First person. |
| você tem que | you have to Advice / obligation. | Advice / obligation. |
| ter de | to have to Slightly more formal alternate. | Slightly more formal alternate. |
| dever | should / must Related; not identical. | Related; not identical. |
How to use ter que in real life
- 1Morning rush
Tenho que sair agora ou perco o ônibus.
I have to leave now or I'll miss the bus.
Tenho que + infinitive.
- 2Work
Você tem que enviar o arquivo hoje.
You have to send the file today.
Você tem que…
- 3Health
A gente tem que beber mais água neste calor.
We have to drink more water in this heat.
Tem que with a gente.
Mistakes English speakers make with ter que
Incorrect: Eu ter que ir.
Correct: Eu tenho que ir.
Conjugate ter: tenho que, not ter que as the finite verb.
Incorrect: Eu devo que estudar (calque).
Correct: Eu tenho que estudar. / Eu devo estudar.
Use ter que, or dever without que.
Good to know
Tenho que… is the blunt everyday must in Brazil. Soften with preciso or talvez tenha que when you want less force. Ter de exists, but ter que dominates speech.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Before guests arrive
ChatPal
A gente tem que limpar a cozinha primeiro?
Do we have to clean the kitchen first?
You
Temos. Eu tenho que terminar a louça.
We do. I have to finish the dishes.
ChatPal
Eu tenho que aspirar a sala então.
Then I have to vacuum the living room.
You
Depois a gente tem que descansar cinco minutos.
After that we have to rest five minutes.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"must (to have to)" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "must (to have to)" in Portuguese
Ter que vs dever?
Ter que is everyday have to; dever is should/must and often softer or more formal.
How do I say I have to go?
Tenho que ir.
Is ter de okay?
Yes, a bit more formal; ter que is more spoken.
Does que stay?
Yes—keep ter/tenho/tem together with que.
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- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
