Spanish · Everyday Verbs
"must (to have to)" in Spanish: tener que
tener que
To have to in Spanish is tener que. Say yo tengo que and tú tienes que. Deber also means should/must, but tener que is the everyday obligation.
Morning rush
Tengo que salir ahora o pierdo el bus.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce tener que
Say it
teh-NEHR keh / TEN-goh keh
/te.ˈneɾ ˈke/
teh-NEHR keh. Yo tengo que is TEN-goh keh. Keep que after tener.
"must (to have to)" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| tener que | to have to Default obligation. | Default obligation. |
| yo tengo que | I have to First person. | First person. |
| tú tienes que | you have to Advice / obligation. | Advice / obligation. |
| tenemos que | we have to Group plans. | Group plans. |
| deber | should / must Related; often softer. | Related; often softer. |
How to use tener que in real life
- 1Morning rush
Tengo que salir ahora o pierdo el bus.
I have to leave now or I'll miss the bus.
Tengo que + infinitive.
- 2Work
Tienes que enviar el archivo hoy.
You have to send the file today.
Tienes que…
- 3Health
Tenemos que beber más agua con este calor.
We have to drink more water in this heat.
Tenemos que for we.
Mistakes English speakers make with tener que
Incorrect: Yo tener que ir.
Correct: Yo tengo que ir.
Conjugate tener: tengo que, not tener que as the finite verb.
Incorrect: Yo debo que estudiar.
Correct: Yo tengo que estudiar. / Yo debo estudiar.
Use tener que, or deber without que.
Good to know
Tengo que… is the blunt everyday must. Soften with Necesito or Tal vez tenga que when you want less force. Hay que + infinitive means one must in a general way.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Before guests arrive
ChatPal
¿Tenemos que limpiar la cocina primero?
Do we have to clean the kitchen first?
You
Sí. Yo tengo que terminar los platos.
Yes. I have to finish the dishes.
ChatPal
Entonces yo tengo que aspirar la sala.
Then I have to vacuum the living room.
You
Después descansamos cinco minutos.
After that we 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 Spanish
Tener que vs deber?
Tener que is everyday have to; deber is should/must and often softer.
How do I say I have to go?
Tengo que ir.
Does que stay?
Yes—keep tener/tengo/tienes together with que.
How do you pronounce tengo?
TEN-goh, hard g as in go.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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