LRD: Lesson - Hay que

A person holds a checklist. It is necessary (hay que) to do those tasks.Hay que

Hay que and tener que are expressions Spanish speakers use to communicate obligation, necessity, commitment, or to give instructions. Tener que and hay que in English can both be translated as to have to or to need to.

Hay que... vs. Tener que...

Although these expressions both have the same function in Spanish, there is a difference between them. The expression hay que is impersonal. By that, we mean that we don’t conjugate hay que to a specific subject. It rather expresses a general obligation, without naming someone in particular that must fulfill that obligation. With tener que, on the other hand, the subject who needs to fulfill the obligation is always clear.

Examples of hay que...

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

  • Tenemos un examen de español. Hay que estudiar. - We have a Spanish test. It is necessary to study.
  • Hoy hace frío. Hay que llevar bufanda y chaqueta. - It is cold today. It is necessary to take a jacket and a scarf.
  • Mi madre está enferma. Hay que llamar al doctor. - My mom is sick. It is necessary to call the doctor.

Reflection

Eventually, you'll find hay que used in complex constructions. For instance: Because we have a Spanish test, it is necessary to study. But for now, focus on two things:

  • hay que indicates necessity
  • hay que is impersonal (it is necessary)

Remember to compare the impersonal hay que to tener que, which is a personal expression. Use hay que when you have an impersonal subject (hay is not conjugated and the subject is it). Use tener que when you have a named subject (tener will be conjugated to agree with the subject).

A stick note with La actividad de práctica written on it.

Practice Activity

Let’s practice how to use expressions with hay que in the context of a sentence.

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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