The main rule
A named person or pronoun has to do something: tener que + infinitive (Ana tiene que trabajar). Nobody in particular, a rule or what the situation needs: hay que + infinitive, one form, no subject (Hay que pagar). The que is always there. No tener que means there is no need, not a ban.
Tener que: a duty of a person
| Person | tener que | Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | tengo que | Tengo que estudiar. |
| tú | tienes que | Tienes que descansar. |
| él, ella, usted | tiene que | Ana tiene que trabajar. |
| nosotros | tenemos que | Tenemos que salir. |
| vosotros (Spain) | tenéis que | Tenéis que venir. |
| ellos, ellas, ustedes | tienen que | Mis padres tienen que trabajar. |
Only tener changes, and it is the irregular present you already know. After que comes the infinitive, never a conjugated verb: Tengo que estudiar, not *Tengo que estudio. The person is the subject: Ana tiene que trabajar el sábado is Ana's own duty.
Hay que: a general rule
Hay que + infinitive says what is necessary in general or in a situation, and nobody is named. It has one form for everybody and never takes a subject: En la biblioteca hay que hablar bajo, Hay que reservar mesa. It is not the hay of "there is" followed by a noun: Hay una mesa libre (there is a table) is a different sentence.
How to choose
Ask: who has to? If you can name a person or use a pronoun (yo, Ana, nosotros), use tener que. If the answer is "everybody, whoever is there", use hay que. In everyday speech a general tienes que is also common, as "you have to" is in English (Tienes que pagar en efectivo). For a rule that is not about one person, hay que is the neutral choice, and when a person is named, only tener que works.
What is different from English
"Have to" is tener que, and the que is required, because tener alone means "have" (tengo un coche). English "you have to" often means "one has to" ("you have to pay in cash"). Spanish usually says that with hay que: Hay que pagar en efectivo. Tienes que is mainly for "you, personally".
"Don't have to" is also different. No tienes que venir means "you don't need to come", it is up to you. It is not "you mustn't come". For a ban Spanish uses other forms: No puedes fumar aquí, Aquí no se puede fumar.
Negatives and questions
No goes before tener: No tengo que trabajar mañana, Ana no tiene que venir. For questions, put the verb first or use a question word: ¿Tienes que trabajar el sábado?, ¿Qué hay que hacer?, ¿Cuántos libros tienen que leer?
A light cousin is necesitar + infinitive, a need rather than a duty: Necesito descansar, Necesitamos comprar pan. It is close in meaning to tener que, and like tener que it has a subject.
Examples
- Tengo que estudiar para el examen. I have to study for the exam.
- Ana tiene que trabajar el sábado. Ana has to work on Saturday.
- Mis padres tienen que salir temprano. My parents have to leave early.
- Hay que reservar mesa en este restaurante. You need to book a table at this restaurant.
- En la biblioteca hay que hablar bajo. In the library you have to speak quietly.
- Hay que pagar en efectivo. You have to pay in cash.
- No tienes que venir; yo puedo ir solo. You don't have to come; I can go alone.
- ¿Tienes que trabajar el sábado? Do you have to work on Saturday?
- ¿Qué hay que llevar a la excursión? What do you need to take on the trip?
- Necesito descansar un poco. I need to rest a little.
Deber comes later
There is also deber + infinitive ("should, ought to"), which you will learn later. For now, tener que and hay que cover "have to".
Common mistakes
Tengo estudiar.Tengo que estudiar. "have to" needs queHay que yo estudiar.Tengo que estudiar. hay que has no subjectHayan que reservar mesa.Hay que reservar mesa. hay never changesAna y Luis tiene que trabajar.Ana y Luis tienen que trabajar. tener agrees with the subjectTengo que estudio.Tengo que estudiar. infinitive after queAquí no tienes que fumar.Aquí no se puede fumar. for a ban, not no tener queHay que dos mesas libres.Hay dos mesas libres. hay + noun is "there is", no que
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between tener que and hay que?
Tener que is a duty of a named person (Tengo que estudiar, Ana tiene que trabajar). Hay que is a general rule with no person, in one form (Hay que reservar mesa).
What does hay que mean in Spanish?
"One has to", "you need to" or "it is necessary to", for everybody and for no one in particular: En la biblioteca hay que hablar bajo. It always takes an infinitive and never a subject.
Can I say tengo estudiar without que?
No. Tener que is a fixed pair and the que is required: Tengo que estudiar. Without it, tengo just means "I have".
Does no tienes que mean you must not?
No. No tienes que venir means "you don't have to come", there is no need. For "you mustn't" Spanish uses other forms, such as No puedes fumar aquí or Aquí no se puede fumar.
Can I use tienes que for a general rule, like "you have to pay in cash"?
Yes, in everyday speech it is common, as in English. The neutral way to state a rule for everybody is Hay que pagar en efectivo, and tienes que is the clear choice for a duty of the person you are talking to.
What is the difference between tener que and necesitar?
Necesitar + infinitive expresses a need (Necesito descansar), and tener que an obligation (Tengo que trabajar). In many everyday sentences they are close in meaning.