tocar + infinitive/ toca crecer - Does tocar sometimes mean 'must'?

Question

tocar + infinitive/ toca crecer - Does tocar sometimes mean 'must'?

This phrase was from my reading today:

A él le toca crecer, y a mí menguar. (He must increase, and I must decrease.)

Is tocar + infinitive = must + infiniitive?

Is this another use for tocar?

Good question. - annierats, Nov 8, 2012

Answer 1

Tocarle a alguien hacer algo literally means it is his turn (or duty) to do something. Conversely, it can also mean must.

A él le toca crecer, y a mí menguar...> It's his turn to grow and mine to wane or He must grow and I must wane.

That is very helpful! Thanks Franco. - katydew, Nov 8, 2012

Kind of like "te toca ti"... it's your turn? In that sense tocar is used? - katydew, Nov 8, 2012

Yes, same sense. - annierats, Nov 8, 2012

Answer 2

I spoke with an instructor from Chile who gave me the following explanation:

te toca jugar - it's your turn to play

toca crecer - it's almost in the sense of "it's his turn to " but this use of tocar fits more in the group of "must" in different intensities.

Tocar + infinitive = very informal way of saying 'I have to ______________.... ' (1 in intensity)

Toca lavar los platos. (I have to wash the dishes.)

Hoy me toca limpiar la casa. (Today I have to clean the house.)

Necesito lavar..... ( 2 in intensity)

Tengo que lavar (2.5 in intensity)

Hay que lavar (impersonal)

Debo lavar (3 in intensity)

Answer 3

I think it means more that he should concern himself with growing, whilst my concern is diminishing. ( I'm on the wane, on the way out). Although, in the sentence, 'must' works fine.

I've not seen the text, does it fit? - annierats, Nov 8, 2012

I think that Franco's "his turn" probably fits better in the first half of the sentence but the second half definitely is that mine is diminishing. Thanks Annie. You are getting good at these. - katydew, Nov 8, 2012

Thanks. Tocar has lots of meanings, actually, more than I knew.. Good question! - annierats, Nov 8, 2012