How to use tener que
The short answer
Tener que followed by an infinitive expresses a necessity or obligation: Tengo que estudiar means “I have to study”. Conjugate tener for the person; keep que and the infinitive.
Change the person, keep the action in the infinitive
The first verb tells you who has the obligation. In the present, use tengo for yo, tienes for tú, tiene for él/ella/usted, tenemos for nosotros/nosotras, tenéis for vosotros/vosotras, and tienen for ellos/ellas/ustedes. Only the first verb changes in this pattern.
Tengo que trabajar mañana.
I have to work tomorrow.
Tengo refers to the speaker. Trabajar stays in the infinitive.
Tenemos que salir a las ocho.
We have to leave at eight.
Tenemos includes the speaker and other people.
Ask what needs to happen
The same pattern works in a question. Keep que even when another question word appears at the beginning. The question word qué has an accent; the que inside tener que does not.
¿Tienes que salir ahora?
Do you have to leave now?
Tienes addresses one person informally.
¿Qué tengo que llevar?
What do I have to bring?
The first qué asks “what”; the second que belongs to the verb pattern.
No tener que removes the obligation
No tienes que… normally says that something is not necessary. It does not automatically mean that the action is forbidden. This matters when you are giving practical instructions.
No tienes que pagar ahora.
You don’t have to pay now.
Payment now is not required; this sentence alone does not prohibit it.
No tenemos que madrugar mañana.
We don’t have to get up early tomorrow.
Madrugar means getting up early.
Try it yourself
Complete the sentence for the situation. Say it aloud before revealing the answer.
Use the yo form of tener. Begin with a capital letter.
___ que trabajar mañana.
Check answer 1
Tengo que trabajar mañana.
The speaker uses tengo; trabajar stays in the infinitive.
Complete the necessity pattern.
Tenemos ___ salir a las ocho.
Check answer 2
Tenemos que salir a las ocho.
Tener + que + infinitive is the complete construction.
Complete “You don’t have to pay now” with pagar.
No tienes que ___ ahora.
Check answer 3
No tienes que pagar ahora.
Pagar remains an infinitive; no removes the necessity.
Make it your own
Say one thing you have to do tomorrow and one thing you don’t have to do. Cover your sentences and recall both later.
Usage references
These Spanish-language references support the usage explained here. Examples, dialogues and exercises are written for Bilvo.