Tener que and Hay que: Obligation in Spanish

Spanish has two everyday ways to say that something is necessary. Tener que names a person: Tengo que trabajar — “I have to work.” Hay que does not: Hay que reservar — “One has to book.” Both take an infinitive, and only tener changes for the subject.

Tener que: a personal obligation

Conjugate tener, then que, then the infinitive. Tener que is personal and changes with the subject: Tengo que trabajar means “I have to work.” The second verb stays in the infinitive.

Tenéis que (vosotros) is used in Spain. In Latin America, ustedes tienen que covers “you” in the plural in every situation — both are correct; see Subject Pronouns. Where people say vos instead of tú (Argentina, Uruguay, and much of Central America), the form is vos tenés que, with the stress on the ending and no stem change. Tener itself is irregular: tengo, not a regular teno. The full present, including age and possession, is in Present Tense: Irregular Verbs.

Hay que: a general obligation

Hay que does not change with the person in the present tense. It is impersonal and has no subject. In another tense, the form changes: había que means “it was necessary.” Hay que reservar means “one has to book,” with no specific person — a rule or a necessity, which can concern people in general or a particular situation. English often translates it as “you have to,” even when you means “anyone.”

Choose tener que to name who needs to act. Choose hay que to focus on what needs doing, without making that person the grammatical subject.

Hay on its own means “there is / there are”: Hay un problema. Hay que is a different structure. The existence meaning, and why it is not estar, is in Hay vs Estar.

The negatives: no tengo que, no hay que

No tengo que is a lack of obligation for that person. No tengo que, plus the infinitive: No tengo que madrugar — “I don't have to get up early.” No goes before the conjugated verb. More on where no sits is in Negation.

No hay que is general, and it can mean either “there's no need” or “one shouldn't,” depending on the sentence. A complaint or a rule leans toward “shouldn't.” A schedule leans toward “there's no need.”

A plan, possession, or a sense of duty

A plan is ir a. Mañana voy a estudiar announces what you intend. Mañana tengo que estudiar says you are obliged to. Both can be true on the same day. The ir a pattern has its own guide: Ir a + Infinitive.

Possession and age have no que. Tengo un perro and Tengo treinta años are ordinary tener. Que appears when an infinitive of obligation follows.

Deber can express duty or advice. It is not always weaker than tener que. In this example, deber + infinitive expresses a personal sense of duty: Debo llamar a mi madre — “I should call my mom.” Tengo que llamar says it is necessary. Deber changes too (debo, debes, debe, debemos, debéis, deben), and the second verb is still an infinitive. This page stays with tener que and hay que.

Common mistakes

A conjugated verb after que. Tengo que ir. After que, use the infinitive, not a conjugated verb. The same is true of hay que: Hay que ir, not Hay que voy.

A subject in front of hay que. Hay que has no person attached to it. Name the person with tener que.

Tiene que for tú. Tú takes tienes. Tiene is él, ella, or usted.

¿Tiene que estudiar? is correct when you are speaking to someone as usted, or asking about a third person. The mistake is using it for tú.

Que with age. Age and possession do not take que.

A regular yo form. The yo form is tengo, with a g.

Quick exercise

Complete with a form of tener que or with hay que / no hay que. In 1, 2, 4 and 5, the subject is named or shown in brackets; 3 and 6 are impersonal. In 7 and 8, choose the natural sentence.

1. Mañana (yo) ___ trabajar.
2. ¿___ (tú) madrugar?
3. En este museo ___ guardar silencio. (a rule for everyone)
4. Es domingo: (yo) ___ trabajar. (it isn't necessary for me)
5. Ana ___ llamar al médico.
6. ___ gritar: el bebé está durmiendo. (general — one shouldn't)
7. Which is correct? (a) Tengo que voy. (b) Tengo que ir.
8. A plan, not an obligation: Mañana ___ estudiar. (voy a / tengo que — choose the plan)

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between tener que and hay que?

Tener que is personal and changes with the subject: Tengo que trabajar means I have to work. Hay que is impersonal and does not change with the person in the present tense: Hay que reservar means one has to book, with no specific person.

How do you say “I don't have to” in Spanish?

No tengo que, plus the infinitive: No tengo que madrugar — I don't have to get up early. That is a lack of obligation for you. No hay que is general, and it can mean either “there's no need” or “one shouldn't,” depending on the sentence.

Is it “tengo que voy” or “tengo que ir”?

Tengo que ir. After que, use the infinitive, not a conjugated verb. The same is true of hay que: Hay que ir, not Hay que voy.