les ha de encantar

Question

Hola a todos.

Bueno, esta tarde tuve que explicar a una amiga méxicana ¿que quiere decir? ¨a hay ride¨, lo cual ella pareció entender después de escuchar la explicación. Al final de conversación, ella commentó ¨A los niños les ha de encantar¨, que es una construción que no reconozco (aunque creo que entiendo que quiere decir).

¿Hay alguien que me pueda explicar esta forma de oracción? No entiendo como usar algo como ¨ha de encantar¨ Quizá esté algo como voz pasiva?

Gracias antemano!

Hi all, This afternoon I had to explain to a friend what ¨a hay ride¨ was, which she seemed to end up understanding just fine. At the end of the conversation, she made the comment ¨A los niños les ha de encantar¨ which is a construction or structure I don´t recognize, even though I think I know what it means.

Is there anyone that could explain this form of sentence or structure to me? I don´t really know how to use it exactly (and may understand it even less than I think I do, for all I know). Some sort of passive voice type thing?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

For translation purposes it´s closer to: They (the kids) should be enchanted by it. It´s a very common structure.

Looking at it from an English point of view, yes, it does seem like passive voice, but it´s not because in Spanish: "(It) should enchant the kids."

Remember that in these structures A los niños is only for clarification. If the context is known, we can simply say: Les ha de encantar which might make it sound less passive voice to you.

I just need to surf around and find some more examples, then it should click. Thanks again. - rogspax, Oct 24, 2013

Thanks Julian. OK, not passive, just unspoken, undefined, 3rd person impersonal speaker. (it feels a bit passive to a gringo, but I´ll get it with time) ;). - rogspax, Oct 24, 2013

Good explanation, Julián, how are you? - annierats, Oct 24, 2013

Answer 2

I am sorry HackerKing and JulianChivi....

Les ha de encantar = les tiene que encantar = there is no way you are not going to like it!

in other words "les va a encantar = you are going to like it"

If anything, I would say "They shall like it" is the ticket. (not should)

I agree that "les tiene que ...." could be used as the same, but with "tener" NOT meaning something forced or demanded. However, I disagree with you on "shall" - this is the same as "will" - 005faa61, Oct 24, 2013

(Shall means will) But woah! You learn something every day. I didn't know this before. Thanks! I'll look into this more. - HackerKing, Oct 24, 2013

Thanks for the additional input Chileno. - rogspax, Oct 25, 2013

you're welcome. The version I give in English is exactly what it is meant in Spanish. - chileno, Oct 25, 2013

Answer 3

Haber + de + infinitive = Should _____

Encantar = To enchant

Ha de encantar = It should enchant.

Les ha de encantar = It should enchant them.

A los niños les ha de encantar = I should enchant the kids.

It's a complicated, but it makes sense if you put it together piece by piece.

Thanks HK. - rogspax, Oct 25, 2013

Answer 4

les ha de encantar

They must love it or perhaps a bit more literally it must be delightful to the children

Check the DPD entry for haber and pay special attention to section 3 (especially 3a) regarding its use as an auxiliary verb. The entry is in Spanish, but I imagine that this should not pose much of a challenge to you.

Thanks Observer. I will read that all over this weekend, as workload and internet connection allow. The Spanish probably will be a challenge (RAE always seems tough to me), but that´s what I´m here for, so here goes. Thanks again! - rogspax, Oct 24, 2013