Verbal periphrasis is a construction of two verbs that are generally joined by a preposition. Most of the time, one verb will be conjugated while the other takes an impersonal form such as infinitive, participle, or gerund. In this entry, you will learn about using and forming the verb periphrasis haber + que.
Spanish
English
Hay que hacer la tarea o no podremos terminarla a tiempo.
We have to do our homework or we won't be able to finish it on time.
Use of the Verbal Periphrasis haber + que
Rule 1. It is generally used to express obligation — in other words, to indicate that it is important to carry out an activity.
Spanish
English
Hay que comprar la despensa porque ya no hay comida en la casa.
We have to buy the pantry because there is no more food in the house.
In the example above, the speaker has decided to use this periphrasis to emphasize the urgency of stocking the pantry, since they have no food in their house.
Rule 2. In some cases, it can also be used to express an invitation when it is understood that the speaker really wants to perform the activity.
Spanish
English
Hay que ver una película de terror, ¡ándale!
We must see a horror movie, please come on!
In this example, it is clearly understood that the speaker wants to see a horror movie. We know this because in addition to using verbal periphrasis, she also uses the expression ¡ándale!
Form of the Verbal Periphrasis haber + que
Rule 3. As you can see in the examples, the verb haber is impersonal. It is always used in the form hay for this verb phrase.
Rule 4. Add the preposition que followed by an infinitive verb. Thus, the structure is as follows:
| hay + | + que | + verb in infinitive form |
| hay + | + que | + verb in infinitive form |
Spanish
English
Ya hay que comer saludable, siempre comemos comida chatarra.
We have to eat healthy, we always eat junk food.
Quiz
1/3
The verbal periphrasis hay + que is used to express _________.
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correct answers.