Haber De and Haber Que in Spanish

Two of the most common phrases using haber are haber que and haber de, both of which can be used to express obligation or the need to perform certain actions. Keep in Mind Haber que, usually in the form hay que, is used in the third person to say that an action is necessary or essential.The more formal haber de  can be used to say that a person or entity needs to take  an action.Both haber que and haber de are followed by infinitives. Hay Que and Other Forms of Haber Que Haber que is the more common, although it is used only in the third-person singular, which is hay que in the indicative present tense. In the present tense haber que is often translated as it is necessary, although in context you might also translate it with phrases such as you need to, you should, you have to, or we need to. Note that the phrase hay que doesnt explicitly state who or what needs to take the action, only that its necessary. But if the intended meaning points to who needs to take the action, that can be specified in the English translation as shown in some of the examples below. The phrase is followed by an infinitive, the most basic verb form. A veces hay que perder para ganar. (Sometimes it is necessary to lose in order to win.)Para ser doctor, hay que estudiar mucho. (In order to be a doctor, you need to study a lot.)No hay que comprar un mà ³vil a un nià ±o antes de los 12 à ³ 13 aà ±os. (It isnt necessary to buy a cellphone for children before theyre 12 or 13.)Se queremos hijos felices hay que enseà ±arle a navegar en tempestades. (If we want happy children, we need to teach them to navigate through turmoil.)Hay que comer solo cuando tengamos hambre. (We should eat only when were hungry.)Hay muchos libros que hay que leer. (There are many books that need to be read.)No es suficiente criticar al presidente,  ¡hay que votar! (It isnt enough to criticize the president — you need to vote!) Haber que can also be used in other tenses and the subjunctive mood: Esta vez habà ­a que ganar. (This time it was necessary to win.)Hubo que esperar 30 aà ±os. (It was necessary to wait 30 years.)Tarde o temprano va a haber que pagarlo. (Sooner or later it is going to be necessary to pay it.)El gobierno cambiarà ¡ lo que haya que cambiar. (The government will change what needs to be changed.)Nunca pensà © que hubiera que decir eso. (I never thought it would be necessary to say this.) Haber De Haber de can be used with a similar meaning, although this use is usually fairly formal or literary. Haber is conjugated fully, not confined to the third person in the way haber que is.  ¿Quà © he de estudiar para poder escribir libros? (What do I need to study in order to be able to write books?)Has de pensar en tu vida. (You need to think about your life.)Hemos de determinar el nà ºmero de gramos de nitrà ³geno que hemos de obtener. (We have to determine the number of grams of nitrogen we need.) In some areas, haber de also can express probability in much the same way that have to (or sometimes must) in English can express likelihood rather than obligation: Aquà ­ ha de caer la lluvia. (Rain must have fallen here.)La solucià ³n al problema ha de ser difà ­cil. (The solution to the problem must be difficult.)Has de ser rica. (You must be rich.) Finally, haber de in the conditional tense can be used, especially in questions, to express the idea that something doesnt make sense:  ¿Por quà © no habrà ­a de darle la mano a la reina? (Asked not to get information, but to express amazement: Why shouldnt he shake hands with the queen?) ¿Por quà © el universo habrà ­a de tomarse la molestia de existir? (Why would the universe go to the bother of existing?) ¿Por quà © habà ­an de creer la verdad, si la mentira resultaba mucho mà ¡s excitante? (Why should they have believed the truth, if the lie turned out to be much more exciting?) ¿Quià ©n habrà ­a de hacer eso en Panamà ¡? (Said in an incredulous tone: Who would do that in Panama?)