Tiene que ver + con + noun

Question

I am wondering if someone can help me with the use of the expression "tiene que ver".

I have seen it followed by "con" + a noun but cannot find any examples of it used in any other way.

Is "con" the only preposition it can take? Can it only be followed by a noun?

I am wanting to use it to express the following English thought. "The message has to do with seeing Mary next week."

My English grammar is far from perfect but I think in this expression "seeing" is in the form of a gerund which is acting as a noun. I have been told that gerunds can't do that in Spanish and that the infinitive would be the form used. So would that make it;

"El mensaje tiene que ver con ver a Mary la próxima semana."

or is it necessary to rework to use a noun like:

"El mensaje tiene que ver con una reunión con Mary para la próxima semana."

thanks as always for your help

Good question mate , best of luck. - ray76, Aug 4, 2016

Answer 1

Tiene que ver con is a common expression that can be used preceding both infinitives and nouns: ie: Tiene que ver con ver a María / Tiene que ver con la visita con María.

We also use this expression without con in a much different context ie: ¿Y eso que tiene que ver? (And what does that have to do with it / anything?)

thanks Julian. I think I've seen a few variations meaning basically what you have said. Some couched as statements and others as questions but I would have struggled translating this one. - ErikainAndalusia, Aug 5, 2016

I think I would have read it as "And what does that have to do with?" meaning "to what does that refer/relate?" Which would have been different to how you've translated it. Going to have to learn this one by rote. - ErikainAndalusia, Aug 5, 2016

Your own translations are OK as well. It's more important to translate the meaning of the expression than the specific words - 005faa61, Aug 6, 2016

Answer 2

It's not the fact that seeing is the form of a gerund, it adopts it because after a preposition the -ing form of the verb is used.

Now, gerunds don't work in the same fashion as in English. In Spanish, gerunds show actions and they are not considered as nouns.

Some English expressions can't be equally translated into Spanish, and this is a particular case. The idiomatic way is the one that was said before:

The message has to do with seeing Mary next week. (= el mensaje tiene que ver con ver a Mary la próxima semana.)

Note that has to do = tiene que ver is the expression we're focusing on.

However, sometimes I've seen con replaced by para to show a purpose.

El mensaje tiene que ver para programar una reunión ...,

which doesn't click my ears, though.

I'm not sure what you mean about the gerund in your first sentence. Seeing is a gerund but it is being used as a noun in the English sentence. It doesn't have to be after a preposition to be used this way eg "they could hear singing", - ErikainAndalusia, Aug 4, 2016

or "the clapping was much too loud". Anyway - that's not important because I already speak English. It's the Spanish I'm desperate to learn! :-). So thank you very much for your answer and the option of para. I've not seen it that way before. - ErikainAndalusia, Aug 4, 2016

Bear in mind that as long as it's a noun, it needs to be understood that in Spanish, it's an action. - Oshnaj, Aug 5, 2016

I have been subsequently told by a Spanish teacher that the sentence with "para" is not correct. So perhaps it is different in South America? or perhaps you have seen it somewhere written by someone in error? Not sure. Can anyone clarify please. - ErikainAndalusia, Aug 5, 2016

ErikainAndal, I agree with your Spanish teacher: "para" in this case is not correct - 005faa61, Aug 6, 2016

Answer 3

I have seen it followed by "con" + a noun but cannot find any examples of it used in any other way.

As in your example, this is a verbal phrase,
"El mensaje tiene que ver con ver a Mary la próxima semana."
Another example: ¿Qué tiene que ver esto con lo que estamos hablando?

Hola Jack, ¡Cuánto tiempo sin verte, amigo! ;) ¿Qué tal estás? - FELIZ77, Aug 4, 2016

Thanks Jack. Well explained. I had hoped my attempt was correct but it looked weird and I certainly couldn't have explained it which you have very kindly done. - ErikainAndalusia, Aug 4, 2016

Hola Paul :) La Vida está tan distinta hoy en día que antes, tantas cosas han cambiado. Estoy muy contento porque Dios me ha dado salud y vida, las otras cosas no tienen importancia - Jack-OBrien, Aug 4, 2016

Answer 4

I have only ever seen the construction: Tiene que ver used with the preposition con as in the expression:

No tiene que ver conmigo = It has nothing to do with me.

I do not know whether it has to be used with a noun.

I am an intermediate student and not fluent so I could be wrong but I would stick my neck out and say that in the context of meaning: 'to have something to do with' some person/thing that I believe that only con would be used!

Regarding your sentence, I would say:

El mensaje tiene que ver con una reunión con Mary la próxima semana.

Your first sentence does not look right to me but I could be mistaken.

The word 'para' is not necessary here...it is superfluous ..the word 'for' as in for the following week is implied!

I hope this helps

Corrijan mi español si es necesario, por favor

thanks Feliz77. I have a tendency to randomly, and wrongly, insert "para" all over the place. And of course, to omit it when it is vital. :-) - ErikainAndalusia, Aug 4, 2016