When should i use que?

Question

¿Por ejemplo, en este oración:

¿Cuántas páginas tienen que escribir?

¿Porqué tengo utilizar que adelante escribir?

I'm still learning how to construct sentences correctly in spanish, so here's what I was trying to write in spanish, in english:

In the sentence, "¿cuàntas pàginas tienen que escribir?", why do i have to put "que" before escribir? What if I just wrote "cuántas páginas tienen escribir"?

Also how do I know to use que, and not a or another word?

Gracias de antemano?

Answer 1

Using tener "to have" with que is one Spanish way of expressing necessity or obligation. Just as in English we say "have to" in They have to finish the homework, in Spanish you would say tienen que in "¿Cuántas páginas tienen que escribir?"

This means How many pages do they have to write? The "to" in this expression is translated by "que". The word escribir is the infinitive which in English means "to write".

well done, I'm not so sure about the 'que' exactly meaning 'to' but definitely tener que is a set expression meaning 'to have to' :) - Kiwi-Girl, Feb 19, 2013

I agree but I'm trying to make it simple in so far as the translation of "tener que" to "have to". But you're right 'que' does not exactly mean 'to' - Jubilado, Feb 19, 2013

Answer 2

In English, there are times when we can use or omit a "that." For instance, "I know that he is..." is the same as "I know he is..." Other examples are say, think, etc. In Spanish, such words always need "que." But tener que is an expression that means have to, and is not a literal translation to how we would say it in English, as Jubilado has already explained very well.

Answer 3

Otra pregunta,

¿Por qué en esta oración no necesitas la palabra "que"?:

¿De cuál tienda prefieres comprar ropa? Por qué no "¿de cuál tienda prefieres "que" comprar ropa?

Because the "que" is out of place--it doesn't belong in the sentence.

• ¿De cuál tienda prefieres comprar ropa? = From which store do you prefer to buy clothes?

• ¿De cuál tienda prefieres "que" comprar ropa? = From which store do you prefer that to buy clothes?

Now, if you want to use that "que" you could say--

• ¿De cuál tienda prefieres que compre ropa? = From which store do you prefer that I buy clothes?

But in ths sentence, "¿cuántas páginas tienen que escribir?", que, meaning "that", wouldn't make sense here, yet it is right. Just wondering, how do you know when to put que Ina sentence. Does it just mean "that" and "what? - trqkkr, Feb 19, 2013

It doesn't make sense to you, because "que " doesn't mean " that " in your sentence. - swampy, Feb 19, 2013

Answer 4

Un otro pregunta,

¿Por qué en este oración no necesitas la palabra que?:

¿De cuál tienda prefieres comprar ropa? Por qué no "¿de cuál tienda prefieres "que" comprar ropa?

Gracias de antemano

Answer 5

Good answers, thanks