Why is 'que' used in this sentence?

Question

I was talking to someone and I said: "tengo apprender mucho!" She corrected me and said I should say: "tengo qué apprender" much. I don't understand what 'qué' is doing in this sentence.

I have to learn much! I have that learn much!

no entiendo! (scratching my head)

Answer 1

Tengo que aprender mucho. No accent on the que, and aprender has one p.

It is a set phrase, it is just always said that way.

Use of prepositions in Spanish, just like English, has to be learned.

Why do we watch things, look at things and listen to things. Why not watch to things, look things, listen at things. It is how it is, and we just have to learn it.

My suggestion is learn the prepositions with the verbs.

http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/tener

also: • tener que:

• tener que hacer algo (expresa obligación) to have to do something

• tiene que ser así it has to be this way

• tenías que haber visto cómo corría you should have seen him run

:) - ian-hill, Nov 17, 2014

Gracia bosquederoble :) I should have know it's that way because it's that way. - Swerve86, Nov 17, 2014

I can see what Julian is saying, but just learn them together so that pensar en, aprender a, disfrutar de, soñar con, etc. just comes out automatically and you don't have to think about it. - bosquederoble, Nov 17, 2014

ok - Swerve86, Nov 17, 2014

Answer 2

If you use tener without que it will mean possesion of something, so your sentence tengo aprender mucho would mean I have learning a lot, which makes no sense.

The que in tengo que aprender mucho indicates an obligation or necessity, so this is more than just sentence structure that you need to remember. It is common sense that once understood will help you construct these types of sentences without even having to ask about having to use que or not, and you will say them naturally.

Muchos Gracias! this is the best answer. I feel like i understand now. - Swerve86, Nov 17, 2014

Answer 3

As Bosque said above and:

Similar things happen in English for example.

The secret (that) I told you yesterday is all over town now.

El secreto (que) te dije ayer es por toda la ciudad ahora.

The secret I told you yesterday is all over town now.

You can somethimes leave out the "that" in English in sentences where you should not in Spanish.

There is even a grammar rule for it that I can't remember now.

Relative pronouns this to get you started.

and another one.

Gracias :) i have to stop asking questions and learn the rules, smh, back to the drawing board! - Swerve86, Nov 17, 2014