Expressing 'have to' — Mexican Spanish Grammar

The phrase followed by an infinitive verb is used to express obligation or necessity. It is the direct equivalent of "to have to" or "must" in English. The structure is always: conjugated form of + + infinitive verb.

The Core Structure

This construction has three parts. Only the first part, the verb (to have), changes to match the subject of the sentence. The word and the main action verb (in its infinitive form) remain unchanged.

Here are the present tense conjugations of used in this structure:

(yo) tengo que - I have to
(tú) tienes que - you (informal singular) have to
(él/ella/usted) tiene que - he/she/you (formal singular) has to
(nosotros/as) tenemos que - we have to
(ellos/ellas/ustedes) tienen que - they/you (plural) have to

Yo tengo que estudiar para el examen.
I have to study for the exam.
Ella tiene que ir al doctor.
She has to go to the doctor.
Nosotros tenemos que limpiar la casa.
We have to clean the house.

Usage: Strong Obligation

indicates a strong, often external, necessity. It is used for things you are obliged to do because of rules, circumstances, or responsibilities. It is generally stronger and more direct than (should, ought to), which often implies a moral duty or a suggestion.

Tengo que pagar la renta el primer día del mes.
I have to pay the rent on the first of the month.
Tenemos que tomar el camión porque el metro está cerrado.
We have to take the bus because the subway is closed.
Si quieres el trabajo, tienes que hablar inglés.
If you want the job, you have to speak English.

In Other Tenses

This structure works in any tense. You simply conjugate the verb into the desired tense.

Past Tense (Preterite)

Use the preterite for a specific obligation that was completed in the past.

Ayer tuve que trabajar hasta muy tarde.
Yesterday I had to work until very late.
Ellos tuvieron que cancelar el viaje por el mal clima.
They had to cancel the trip because of the bad weather.

Past Tense (Imperfect)

Use the imperfect to describe a habitual or ongoing obligation in the past.

Cuando era niño, tenía que hacer mi cama todos los días.
When I was a kid, I had to make my bed every day.
Antes teníamos que ir a la biblioteca para buscar información.
Before, we had to go to the library to look for information.

Future Tense

Use the future tense to express a future necessity.

Mañana tendré que levantarme temprano.
Tomorrow I will have to get up early.
La próxima semana tendremos que presentar el proyecto.
Next week we will have to present the project.

Negative Statements and Questions

To form a negative statement, place the word directly before the conjugated form of .

Hoy no tengo que ir a la oficina.
I don't have to go to the office today.
Ustedes no tienen que pagar nada, es gratis.
You (plural) don't have to pay anything, it's free.

To ask a question, you can invert the subject and verb or simply use rising intonation in speech.

¿Tienes que salir tan temprano?
Do you have to leave so early?
¿Por qué tenemos que esperar aquí?
Why do we have to wait here?

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Mexican Spanish course

15 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 8. A few of them, with the words “Expressing 'have to'” is about in bold:

Tengo que ir en bici hasta que me compre un coche nuevo.
I have to ride my bike until I get a new car.
Lesson 301
Tengo que limpiar el baño. Está muy sucio.
I need to clean the toilet. It is too dirty.
Lesson 469

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