Tener que

Imagine you have to write a to-do list of the things you have to do today or this week. How do you write this in Spanish?

When accompanied by the relative pronoun que + an infinitive verb, the verb TENER has the function of expressing obligation, necessity, or commitment.

Understanding the Construction

To use tener que + infinitive we must conjugate the verb tener according to the pronoun that it refers to:

Conjugating *tener que...*
Pronoun	TENER QUE	English
Yo	tengo que...	I have to...
Tú	tienes que...	You have to... (informal, singular)
Él/Ella	tiene que...	He/She has to...
Usted	tiene que...	You have to... (formal, singular)
Nosotros/Nosotras	tenemos que...	We have to...
Vosotros/Vosotras	tenéis que...	You have to... (informal, plural)
Ellos/Ellas	tienen que...	They have to...
Ustedes	tienen que...	You have to... (formal, plural)

Examples of tener que...

Let's take a look at a few examples using tener que...

Hoy tengo que salir de casa a las ocho de la mañana. - Today I have to leave the house at 8 AM.
El lunes mi hermana tiene que ir a la consulta médica. - On Monday my sister has to go to the doctor’s office.
Antes de nuestro examen de español, tenemos que estudiar. - Before our Spanish test, we have to study.

**Examples of tener que... + Reflexive Verbs**

When using TENER QUE + reflexive verbs, both verbs Will be conjugated according to the subject performing the action. For example:

I have to shower.
- I have to = [Yo] tengo que...
- shower = reflexive. What pronoun is being reflected? Yo - so, we will use me and attach it to the infinitive:
  - ducharme
Yo tengo que ducharme.

Let's explore a few more examples to get a better idea of how reflexive verbs work with tener que.

Nosotros tenemos que acostarnos a las diez de la noche.
- We have to go to bed at 10 PM.
Mi hermanito tiene que lavarse las manos antes de comer la cena.
- My little brother has to wash his hands before eating dinner.

Video Lesson

This video lesson will help you understand how to use TENER QUE in the context of a sentence. You may want to watch it as many times as needed! TIENES QUE tomar notas en tu cuaderno (You have to take notes in your notebook) y TIENES QUE completar las actividades de práctica (and you have to complete the practice activities).

Remember, email your teacher if you have any questions after you complete a lesson. Your instructor is always available to help you and clarify any additional questions you may have before you move forward with your studies.

Video credit: Maestro Kaplan

Practice Activity

Was this video lesson helpful? Can you say the next few things you have to do today in Spanish? Do you understand how to use tener que + infinitive? If your answer was sí to all questions, then you are ready to complete the following practice activities.

All practice activities have unlimited attempts. Practice as many times as you need. When you complete practice activities, you are reviewing the lessons and preparing yourself to move forward in the course!

Complete the following practice activity. Be sure you do not forget to use correct end punctuation, capitalization, accents, and all diacritical marks in your response or points will be deducted.

NOTE: You are required to use information from this course to complete all practice activities. Additionally, fill-in-the-blank activities can be very particular: if an item is marked incorrect, double check that it wasn't something as minor as an extra space or a capital letter in the wrong place!

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