Do you know how to say that something "is necessary" in Spanish? Do you like telling people what "has to" be done? We'll teach you a simple formula!
To say something "is necessary" in Spanish, you might use the literal phrase es necesario (it's necessary) plus a verb's infinitive, or "to" form:
Es necesario usar papel, carbón o madera para encenderlo.
It's necessary to use paper, charcoal, or wood to light it.
Caption 22, El Aula Azul Adivina qué es - Part 1
Play Caption
And, to tell someone what they "have to" do, you could use verbs like tener que (to have to) or deber (must) plus the infinitive:
Tienes que mejorar esto.
You have to improve this.
Caption 28, El Aula Azul La Doctora Consejos: Hay y estar
Play Caption
Bueno, primero debemos hacer la lista de invitados
Well, first, we must make the guest list
Caption 15, Cleer y Carolina Organizando la fiesta del abuelo
Play Caption
However, if you are looking for a non-literal, conjugation-free alternative (to conjugate just the present indicative tense of tener que, for example, you have to memorize tengo que, tienes que, tiene que, tenemos que, tenéis que, and tienen que), we invite you to use the following, very simple formula, which can express the same thing as the previous three options in various contexts:
Hay que + infinitive
Don't get us wrong— you are going to have to learn those verb conjugations sooner or later! But, perhaps while you do, or as a viable alternative that native speakers often employ, you could opt for hay que + infinitive.
Hay comes from the Spanish verb haber, which is an auxiliary, or helping, verb that means "to have" or "to be" and appears in its conjugated forms as part of different verb tenses (e.g. the present perfect, pluperfect, etc.). Hay is haber's impersonal form, which never changes (it is always just hay in the present tense) and can mean "there is" or "there are." However, when hay is combined with que + infinitive, it becomes a fixed expression that means "it's necessary" (to do something). Let's see a couple of examples:
hay que darle la oportunidad de defenderse.
it's necessary to give him the opportunity to defend himself.
Caption 22, Los casos de Yabla Problemas de convivencia - Part 2
Play Caption
¡Hay que reclamar el premio antes de las diez de la noche!
You have to claim the prize before ten p.m.!
Caption 61, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 6: El día de la Primitiva - Part 4
Play Caption
Note that the second example has been translated with "you have to," a more colloquial equivalent of "it's necessary" that includes the "universal you," implying "people" or "everyone." "One has to" or "one must" would also be valid translations.
The construction hay que + infinitive can be used in basically any context in which you want to say that "it's necessary" to do a particular thing. That said, we have included below a few scenarios in which you are likely to come across it. When reading the translations, keep in mind that while this impersonal construction has no specific subject, in cases in which the context or sentence makes clear who the speaker feels "has to" or "must" act in a particular way, the construction is often translated as if the subject were explicitly stated.
Since the construction hay que + infinitive explains what "people have to do," it only makes sense that it is often heard when talking about perceived wisdom about life:
En la vida hay que saber relajarse,
In life, you need to know how to relax,
Caption 44, Ana Teresa 5 principios del yoga
Play Caption
El pasado hay que olvidarlo, hay que enterrarlo,
The past, you have to forget it, you have to bury it,
Captions 38-39, Yago 2 El puma - Part 1
Play Caption
As we mentioned earlier, you might use the expression hay que + infinitive to tell someone what to do without explicitly saying "you must," as in these two examples from the popular series Confidencial: Asesino al Volante:
Yo sé que les dijimos que no vinieran por acá pero hay que darles la buena noticia.
I know we told them not to come here, but we have to give them the good news.
Captions 65-66, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 2 - Part 11
Play Caption
Hay que demostrar que tú no eres ningún criminal,
You have to show that you're no criminal,
Caption 61, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 3 - Part 10
Play Caption
In other cases, one might give a suggestion as to what they generally feel that "people" should do:
pues, hay que ir a México.
well, you have to go to Mexico.
Caption 32, World Travel Market en Londres Raúl nos habla de México
Play Caption
Since giving directions entails explaining what "has to be done," you will often hear the construction hay que + infinitive in this context:
Después hay que torcer la primera calle a la izquierda.
Then you have to turn to the left on the first street.
Caption 34, Curso de español Disculpe, ¿hay un cine por aquí?
Play Caption
Primero hay que ir todo derecho, ¿sí?
First you have to go straight ahead, right?
Caption 23, Curso de español Direcciones en la ciudad
Play Caption
Similarly, hay que + infinitive will often be heard in contexts where specific instructions are given, such as cooking a particular recipe or for some other process:
Hay que añadir el agua poco a poco y vamos amasando hasta obtener una mezcla homogénea.
It's necessary to add the water little by little and we start kneading until obtaining a homogeneous mixture.
Captions 11-12, Recetas de cocina Arepas colombianas
Play Caption
Cuando se bañan, hay que estar seguros de que no se mojen,
When they are bathed, you have to make sure they don't get wet,
Caption 39, La veterinaria "Huesos" visita a la doctora - Part 1
Play Caption
These are, of course, just a few of the many situations in which you might use or encounter the construction hay que + infinitive.
While haber que + infinitive is probably most commonly seen the present indicative tense, it can also be found in other tenses. Let's see some examples in the imperfect tense , the preterite tense, and the future tense:
Definitivamente había que dejar el trabajo para dedicarme al restaurante.
I definitely had to leave my job to dedicate myself to the restaurant.
Caption 13, La Sub30 Familias - Part 9
Play Caption
hubo que salir corriendo porque la Señora Di Carlo se moría.
we had to leave running because Mrs. Di Carlo was dying.
Caption 84, Muñeca Brava 2 Venganza - Part 6
Play Caption
En fin, supongo que habrá que esperar hasta el lunes.
Anyway, I guess that it will have to wait until Monday.
Caption 86, Negocios La solicitud de empleo - Part 2
Play Caption
And remember that, just like for the present, you only have to remember one form of haber for each tense: había que for the imperfect, hubo que for the preterite, and habrá que in the future. Yabla's lesson entitled Había o habían muchos libros? elaborates further.
As you've probably surmised from our plethora of examples, the construction haber que + infinitive is extremely common and useful, and now that you're familiar with it: hay que practicarlo mucho (you have to practice it a lot)! And don't forget to leave us your suggestions and comments.
Are you familiar with the Spanish preposition entre? While the preposition entre in Spanish is most often a direct equivalent for the many uses of the English words "among" and "between," it can occasionally be utilized in slightly different ways and with different translations than its English counterparts. Today's lesson will explore many of its nuances.
According to the Dictionary of the Spanish language, the Spanish preposition entre "denotes the situation or state in between two or more things." Let's break up this definition into a few subcategories:
The Spanish preposition entre might describe the nature of a relationship "between" entities, whether talking about bloodlines or quality. Let's see an example of each:
La relación entre José y yo. ¿José es mi...? -Hermano.
The relationship between Jose and me. Jose is my...? -Brother.
Captions 19-20, Curso de español Vamos a hablar de la familia
Play Caption
La relación entre mi papá y mi abuela era tan amistosa como la que tenía Rusia con Estados Unidos.
The relationship between my dad and my grandma was as friendly as the one Russia had with the United States.
Captions 8-9, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 13 - Part 2
Play Caption
Now, let's look at an example where entre describes the "state" between two things:
encontréis ese equilibrio entre cuerpo y mente.
you find that balance between body and mind.
Caption 60, Ana Teresa 5 principios del yoga
Play Caption
And finally, like the English word "between," the Spanish preposition entre can be employed to compare things:
¿Y sabéis cuál es la diferencia entre la lava y el magma?
And do you know what the difference between lava and magma is?
Caption 24, Aprendiendo con Silvia Los volcanes
Play Caption
The preposition entre in Spanish also comes up in some situations in which an English speaker might use the word "in" or "within." Examining two different captions from the same video, note that while the first has been translated with the more literal "among," it could be substituted with the English word "in," while "in" is probably the only suitable choice in the second example.
Allí, se escondió entre los juncos.
There, he hid among the reeds.
Caption 29, Cleer El patito feo
Play Caption
Pero, afortunadamente, una viejita que lo había visto entre la nieve, lo recogió.
But, fortunately, an old woman who had seen him in the snow picked him up.
Caption 39, Cleer El patito feo
Play Caption
Another use of the Spanish preposition entre is to refer to an intermediate state between two or more things:
Granada produce al año entre quince y veinte millones de kilos de aguacate
Granada produces per year between fifteen and twenty million kilos of avocados
Captions 1-2, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 16
Play Caption
Entonces los edificios tienen ese toque especial... de mezcla entre la arquitectura antigua y la moderna.
So the buildings have that special touch... from the mix between old and modern architecture.
Captions 20-21, Yabla en Buenos Aires Puerto Madero
Play Caption
This Spanish preposition can furthermore depict an intermediate physical location:
se sentaba siempre entre las dos únicas chicas de la clase,
always sat between the only two girls in the class,
Caption 33, Aprendiendo con Silvia Nacionalidades y adjetivos - Part 1
Play Caption
The word entre in Spanish can likewise entail the idea of inclusion, as in the following two examples, where it could be replaced by the English phrase "as one of":
No gané el concurso, pero quedé entre los finalistas
I didn't win the contest, but I placed among the finalists,
Captions 46-47, Aprendiendo con Carlos El microrrelato - Part 3
Play Caption
Entre ellos, tenemos estos burros de peluche que a la gente le gusta mucho.
Among them, we have these stuffed donkeys that people like a lot.
Captions 14-15, Santuario para burros Tienda solidaria
Play Caption
As we see in the following examples, the Spanish preposition entre might also evoke the idea of collaborative effort:
Si podemos imaginarlo, entre todos podemos lograrlo.
If we can imagine it, among all of us, we can achieve it.
Caption 9, Con ánimo de lucro Cortometraje - Part 1
Play Caption
El plato se llama "La Deli" y entre los tres le vamos a dar forma y la decoración.
The dish is called "The Deli," and between the three of us, we're going to give it shape and decorate it.
Caption 24, Misión Chef 2 - Pruebas - Part 7
Play Caption
If you wish to speak about what is done customarily "among" particular groups, the Spanish preposition entre could additionally come in handy:
"Hermano" es una palabra que se usa mucho entre amigos
"Brother" is a word that is used a lot among friends
Caption 35, Carlos comenta Confidencial - Jerga típica colombiana
Play Caption
una serie argentina que es muy popular entre nuestros usuarios.
an Argentine series that is very popular among our users.
Captions 3-4, Carlos y Cyndy Comentario sobre Muñeca Brava
Play Caption
And finally, the preposition entre in Spanish can suggest reciprocity, in which case it might be translated with the English "each other."
y cómo se apoyaban entre ellos.
and how they supported each other.
Caption 19, Aprendiendo con Silvia Nacionalidades y adjetivos - Part 2
Play Caption
se juntaban las españolas de ese pueblo para hablar entre ellas.
the Spanish women from that town would get together to talk to each other.
Captions 49-50, Soledad Amistades
Play Caption
We hope that this lesson has helped you to better understand the many uses of the Spanish preposition entre, especially those that are slightly different than the manners in which its English equivalents "among" and "between" are employed. Feel free to write us with your questions and suggestions.
Do you "know" the difference between the Spanish verbs saber and conocer? Although they both mean "to know" in Spanish, there are subtle differences between them. Let's explore them!
The Spanish verb saber describes "knowing" something concrete, such as a fact, information, or skill. Let's take a look at each of these subcategories with examples from our Yabla Spanish library.
The verb saber in Spanish is used to talk about "knowing" (or not knowing!) specific facts:
¿Ya sabes que el pez globo es venenoso?
Do you know that the puffer fish is poisonous?
Caption 33, Guillermina y Candelario El paseo sobre el mar
Play Caption
No sabía que estaba embarazada.
I didn't know she was pregnant.
Caption 75, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 2 - Part 11
Play Caption
Note that the Spanish verb saber falls into the category of Spanish verbs that change meaning in the preterite tense, as its meaning changes in the preterite from "to know" to "to find out."
Así supe que su nombre era Lucía,
That's how I found out that her name was Lucía,
Caption 30, Luis Guitarra Historia de Lucía - Part 1
Play Caption
The Spanish verb saber can also describe having knowledge of particular information:
¿Y sabes a qué hora abren?
And do you know what time they open?
Caption 25, Español para principiantes Hablando de ubicaciones
Play Caption
¿Eh? Estoy seguro que ella sabe dónde está el Gringo.
Right? I am sure that she knows where the Gringo is.
Caption 44, Yago 3 La foto - Part 6
Play Caption
When talking about skills, the formula saber + infinitive is used to say that someone "knows how" to do something. Let's take a look.
Pues yo quería mostrarle que también sé hacer muchas cosas.
Well, I wanted to show her that I know how to do a lot of things too.
Caption 37, Guillermina y Candelario Una Amiga muy Presumida - Part 1
Play Caption
En la vida hay que saber relajarse,
In life, you need to know how to relax,
Caption 44, Ana Teresa 5 principios del yoga
Play Caption
The Spanish verb conocer, on the other hand, refers to being familiar with or acquainted with something, which could be a person, place, or thing. Let's see some examples from each category.
The Spanish verb conocer is employed to talk about "knowing" people, in the sense of being acquainted with them.
Por ejemplo: Conozco a María.
For example: I know María.
Caption 11, Lecciones con Carolina Saber y conocer
Play Caption
Y cuando pasó el tiempo conocí a Edgar, ¿no? Nos conocimos en la escuela.
And as time went by I met Edgar, right? We met at school.
Caption 14, Belanova Entrevista - Part 2
Play Caption
Notice that, in both examples above, the Spanish pronoun a appears after the verb conocer and before the person. This so-called personal a is necessary when a person is the object of a Spanish sentence. Additionally, we see that the meaning of the verb conocer also changes meaning in the preterite from "to know" to "to meet."
Although it is sometimes translated as "to know," when used in reference to places, the Spanish verb conocer usually denotes having actually been somewhere rather than just awareness of its existence. That said, let's take a look at some alternative translations:
¿Conoces las Islas Canarias?
Have you been to the Canary Islands?
Caption 89, Clase Aula Azul El verbo gustar - Part 5
Play Caption
Conocí las islas Barú de... de Colombia
I visited the Barú Islands in... in Colombia
Caption 89, Cleer y Lida Juego de preguntas y respuestas - Part 2
Play Caption
The verb conocer in Spanish can also refer to familiarity with objects and might thus be translated with either "to know" or "to be familiar with":
Realmente son frases que vuestros compañeros no conocen, entonces es una información nueva para ellos.
They really are sentences that your classmates don't know, so it's new information for them.
Captions 45-46, Clase Aula Azul Información con subjuntivo e indicativo - Part 4
Play Caption
¡Ah! Pues yo no conocía esta tablet.
Oh! Well, I wasn't familiar with this tablet.
Caption 74, El Aula Azul Ester y Paula
Play Caption
Having seen these parameters and examples, we hope you now "know" the difference between saber and conocer in Spanish! To further explore this topic, check out Lecciones con Carolina: Saber y conocer. And, don't forget to leave us your suggestions and comments.
French
German
Italian
Chinese
English
English 
Français
Deutsch
Español
Italiano
Português
