Has to/Had to

Question

Tener + que translates to "has to".

But what is "had to", in Spanish? Say, "I had to go to the hospital".

This is where I need your help.

Help.

Answer 1

If it's habitual use then use the imperfect past tense.

Tenía que hacer mis tareas al llegar a casa de la escuela.

I had to do my homework upon arriving home from school.

Thanks - TheSilentHero, Mar 30, 2010

Can a form of the verb 'haber' be used in this context? - Swerve86, Nov 15, 2014

Answer 2

If it's a one-time event, you could say Yo tuve que ir al hospital.

Thank you! I was unsure of the tense. - TheSilentHero, Mar 30, 2010

De nada SilentHer. - Delores--Lindsey, Mar 30, 2010