The Animated Book
of SpanishGrammar Reference

Need and Obligation in Spanish

Adapted from The Animated Book of Spanish, an interactive Spanish grammar book.

Spanish has several ways to say have to, must, should, and need. These four cover almost everything:

  1. Tener que: have to

    The everyday way to say someone has to do something.

    Tengo que trabajar mañana.

    I have to work tomorrow.

  2. Hay que: you have to

    What everyone has to do, without saying who.

    Hay que reservar mesa.

    You have to book a table.

  3. Deber, debería: must, should

    Duties and rules, and in the conditional, advice.

    Deberías descansar.

    You should rest.

  4. Necesitar, hacer falta: need

    Things you need, or need to do.

    Necesito un café.

    I need a coffee.

On this page

Tener que: have to

Tener que + an infinitive is the most common way to say someone has to do something. Only tener changes, to match the person and the tense.

  • Tengo que llamar a mi madre.

    I have to call my mom.

  • Tienes que probar este pastel.

    You have to try this cake.

  • Ayer tuvimos que esperar dos horas.

    Yesterday we had to wait two hours.

  • Mañana mis hijos tendrán que levantarse temprano.

    Tomorrow my kids will have to get up early.

Hay que: for everyone

Hay que + an infinitive says what needs to be done, without saying who. It's for rules, advice, and things that apply to everyone. It never changes. More in hay.

  1. Hay que: anyone
    Hay que estudiar para aprobar.

    You have to study to pass.

    Tener que: someone specific
    Tengo que estudiar esta noche.

    I have to study tonight.

  2. Hay que: anyone
    Hay que tener paciencia.

    You have to be patient.

    Tener que: someone specific
    Tienes que tener paciencia.

    You have to be patient (you, specifically).

Deber and debería: must, should

Deber + an infinitive also expresses obligation, often a duty or a rule. In the conditional, debería is softer: it's advice, like should.

  1. Deber: must
    Debes respetar las normas.

    You must respect the rules.

    Debería: should
    Deberías dormir más.

    You should sleep more.

  2. Deber: must
    Los pasajeros deben llevar el cinturón.

    Passengers must wear a seatbelt.

    Debería: should
    Deberíamos irnos ya.

    We should go now.

Don't have to vs. must not

Be careful with the negative. No tener que means you don't have to: it's optional. To say something is not allowed, use no deber or no poder.

  1. Not necessary
    No tienes que venir.

    You don’t have to come.

    Not allowed
    No puedes venir.

    You can’t come.

  2. Not necessary
    No hay que pagar.

    You don’t have to pay.

    Not allowed
    No se puede fumar aquí.

    You can’t smoke here.

  3. Not necessary
    No tengo que trabajar hoy.

    I don’t have to work today.

    Not allowed
    No debes conducir así.

    You mustn’t drive like that.

Necesitar and hacer falta: need

Necesitar works like English need, with a noun or an infinitive.

  • Necesito un café.

    I need a coffee.

  • Necesitamos hablar.

    We need to talk.

  • ¿Necesitas ayuda?

    Do you need help?

Hacer falta means the same thing, but it works like gustar: what you need is the subject, and who needs it is an indirect object. No hace falta means there's no need.

  • Me hace falta dinero.

    I need money.

  • A esta sopa le hace falta sal.

    This soup needs salt.

  • No hace falta traer nada.

    There’s no need to bring anything.

Needing someone else to

To say you need someone else to do something, use que and the subjunctive. This works with necesitar, hacer falta, and es necesario.

  • Necesito que me ayudes.

    I need you to help me.

  • Hace falta que alguien traiga hielo.

    Someone needs to bring ice.

  • Es necesario que lleguen a tiempo.

    They need to arrive on time.

Common mistakes English speakers make

  1. Leaving out que

    Incorrect:Tengo estudiar.
    Correct:Tengo que estudiar.

    Have to is tener que. Without que, it doesn't work.

  2. Using no tener que for “must not”

    Incorrect:No tienes que fumar aquí.
    Correct:No puedes fumar aquí.

    No tienes que means you don't have to. For something not allowed, use no puedes or no debes.

  3. Adding que to necesitar

    Incorrect:Necesito que estudiar.
    Correct:Necesito estudiar.

    Necesitar takes the infinitive directly. Que is only for someone else doing it: Necesito que estudies.

  4. Making the person the subject of hacer falta

    Incorrect:Hago falta dinero.
    Correct:Me hace falta dinero.

    Like gustar, the thing you need is the subject.

  5. Using hay que for one person

    Incorrect:Hay que yo trabaje.
    Correct:Tengo que trabajar.

    Hay que doesn't say who. For a specific person, use tener que.

Questions about obligation

How do you say "have to" in Spanish?

Tener que + an infinitive: Tengo que trabajar ("I have to work"). For things everyone has to do, without saying who, use hay que: Hay que tener paciencia.

What is the difference between tener que and deber?

Both express obligation. Tener que is the everyday way to say you have to do something. Deber sounds a little more like duty or a rule: Debes respetar a tus padres. In the conditional, deberías means "you should."

How do you say "should" in Spanish?

Use the conditional of deber: Deberías descansar ("You should rest"). Tendrías que works the same way.

How do you say "you must not" in Spanish?

No debes or no puedes: No puedes fumar aquí ("You can't smoke here"). No tienes que means "you don't have to," which is very different.

How do you use hacer falta?

It works like gustar: the thing you need is the subject. Me hace falta dinero ("I need money"). No hace falta means "there's no need."

Next upDemonstrativesEste, ese, and aquel: the three distances, esto and eso, and aquí, ahí, allí.

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