Is "tener que" equal to "have to" or "must"?

Question

Is "tener que" equal to "have to" or "must"? As far as I know, "have to" in semantic sense has different resource of motivation from "must". So which equals "tener que"?

Thx in advance.

que means "what" - Kinesha95, Dec 26, 2009

Answer 1

According to "Breaking out of Beginner Spanish", tener que is "must" with a strong sense of obligation, stronger than "mas vale", "hay que", or "deber". (These are roughly in the order of the strength of obligation).

I did not know that :) - TheSilentHero, Dec 26, 2009

Answer 2

"To have to".- tener que (es una necesidad)

Must.- deber (obligación)

I have to go to the toilet- tengo que ir al baño.

I must study if I want to pass my exams.- debo estudiar si quiero aprobar mis exámenes.

I have to study if I want to pass my exams.- tengo que estudiar si quiero aprobar mis exámenes.

Here you use "must" and "have to" because studying is a necessity and an obligation.

Answer 3

I've read several articles on the degree of volition involved with the words and find that it varies with authors.

• tener que is commonly referred to as "to have to"
• deber=should
• hay que=ought to

must either is applied to tener que or deber depending on personal use. Must and have to in English vary in degree of volition among English users also, but both are seen as greater than ought to.

Below is, yet, one more author's opinion.

deber, tener que, hay que

Answer 4

Maybe this will help:

• 'Hay que' is a mere statement of something that should be done, but the one speaking clearly doesn't want to do it by himself, and is voicing the need to see if some other takes the initiative to do it.
• 'Tener que' is something that has to be done but, depending on need, it could be done today, tomorrow or next week (if you're out of eggs and you want an omelette for dinner, you'll end up going today)
• 'Deber' implies something that IMPERATIVELY HAS to be done (usually quick), or something bad will happen (if today is the tax return deadline and you're halfway through calculating it, you're in deep trouble).

source

I'll vote your question up and add it to my faves. Let's wait for Heidi and see what she says.

Answer 5

In English "have to" indicates that the obligation comes from outside, though "must" can also be used this way. "Must" is mainly used if the obligation comes from inside, e.g.:

I have to read this book, as it's obligatory in this course.

I must read this book. I've heard it's really great!

Yes, Issabela. I must read this book (the obligation comes from me). - nila45, Dec 27, 2009

In "I have to read this book", as it is obligatory in this course is a good example too. You have no choice. Then, you must use "tengo que". - nila45, Dec 27, 2009

Answer 6

An example with "have to" (tener que)

You have to buy the bread- tienes que comprar el pan. Here it is clear that it is an obligation or an order, and you have to do it now. "Tener que" is used for a strong obligation or an order too and it is probable that you have to do it now. It depends on the context.

You must buy the bread every day- debes comprar el pan todos los días. (These are the rules). It is not a so direct demand. This suggests that it depends on you because I am not saying it as a demand. But, you can be careful with that. In fact, you have to comply the rules anyway.

You have to buy the bread every day- tienes que comprar el pan todos los días. (Here is a more direct demand).

Answer 7

In English "have to" indicates that the obligation comes from outside, though "must" can also be used this way. "Must" is mainly used if the obligation comes from inside, e.g.: I have to read this book, as it's obligatory in this course. I must read this book. I've heard it's really great!

Yes, it is somewhat similar in Spanish.

"Must" = deber

"Have to" = tener que

I have to read this book as it is obligatory in this course- tengo que leer este libro como es obligatorio. (You have no choice).

I must read this book. I've read it's really great!- debo leer este libro. He leído que es realmente estupendo.

Here the sense is that it is an obligation that comes from me. And it is my choice. Anyway, it is no strange to see this: tengo que leer este libro. He leído que es realmente estupendo. Here the person who says that is talking about his necessity to read this book. He needs to read it... as it is so great!.

The most probable is that you find the example with "tengo que" instead of "debo" because the person is stressing his necessity of reading it. Because it is obvious that from his point of view it has become an obligation.

Answer 8

• 'Tener que' is something that has to be done but, depending on need, it could be done today, tomorrow or next week (if you're out of eggs and you want an omelette for dinner, you'll end up going today)
• 'Deber' implies something that IMPERATIVELY HAS to be done (usually quick), or something bad will happen (if today is the tax return deadline and you're halfway through calculating it, you're in deep trouble).

The person who has written this sees it as a necessity. "You have to buy the eggs if you want to eat an omelette". But he does not mention that "have to- tener que" can be used for an obligation too.

And also, the person who has written this mentions "deber" as an obligation. Yo debo terminar de rellenar estos papeles si no quiero tener problemas. (The obligation comes from me, as I mentioned above). But, if I say "yo tengo que terminar de rellenar estos papeles si no quiero tener problemas" is an obligation and a necessity because it is obvious that we need to do it. Then, it is an obligation and a necessity.

You can use "deber" or "tener que" depending on you.

Answer 9

"have to" can be used for a necessity, mainly if it comes from yourself.

I have to go to the toilet- tengo que ir al baño.

"have to" can be used as an obligation too.

You have to be here at ten p.m.- tienes que estar aquí a las diez en punto (it can be a strong obligation). You are likely not to have a choice.

"must" is used for an obligation.

You must be here at ten p.m.- debes estar aquí a las diez en punto.

Someone is reminding you or saying to you what your duties are.

"Debes estar aquí a las diez en punto" is the same as "es tu deber estar aquí a las diez en punto". Remember that "deber" is a noun (duty) and is a verb (must). Deber (noun) and deber (verb). I mean, someone is reminding you or saying to you what your duties are and you have to take them into account but it is your choice. The easiest way to think it that "deber" is used for a moral obligation. I mean, I say to you what your duties are or what the rules are, but at the end, it is your choice. It depends on you.

Gracias por la explicación Nila - patch, Dec 27, 2009

Answer 10

They all have a similar meaning, and just like in English, there are multiple ways of saying some things. I have always used tener que and hay que interchangeably, although it is possible that this is not correct. Think about what it is that you are trying to say. Tener que is to have to do something, and hay que is that it is necessary to do something.

Yes, but hay que doesn't specify "who" has to do it, while tengo que says it's definitely me, and teneís que says it's definitely you, and so on. Hay que just means someone (and probably not the person speaking). Deber que is more in the sense of "should" - Goyo, Dec 26, 2009

So "I have to give money to the church this Sunday" is debo que, and "I have to pay my taxes by April 15 is tengo que. - Goyo, Dec 26, 2009

That is where my distinction between the two comes into play. Tener que means to have to do something while hay que means that it is necessary to do something. Hay que is more for general use as its meaning can be slightly vague. - luhzon89, Dec 27, 2009

Answer 11

Tener que means have to.

Example: Yo tengo que hacer la tarea (I have to do my homework)