How to Say "has to" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “has to” is “tiene” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
English → SpanishA2
VerbA2
obligation, necessity
Examples
Ella tiene que estudiar para el examen.
She has to study for the exam.
El doctor tiene que trabajar mañana.
The doctor has to work tomorrow.
Usted tiene que firmar aquí.
You (formal) have to sign here.
The 'Have To' Formula
The structure is always 'tener' + 'que' + the basic, unchanged form of the next verb (like 'hablar', 'comer', 'vivir'). Don't change the second verb!
Forgetting 'que'
Mistake: “Él tiene estudiar mucho.”
Correction: Always include 'que' after 'tiene' when talking about obligation: 'Él tiene que estudiar mucho.'
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.