hai que + Infinitive

One Must: Hai Que

Level 2

Hai que + infinitive states what is necessary in general: Hai que ter paciencia (you need to be patient). It has no subject.

How It Works

Form: hai que + infinitive. Hai is the impersonal form of haber, so it never has a subject and always stays singular.

Meaning: something is necessary in general, for anyone in the situation: Hai que ter paciencia.

Other tenses keep the third person singular of haber:

  • había que: it was necessary (background or repeated)
  • houbo que: it was necessary (on one occasion)
  • haberá que: it will be necessary

Naming the person: to say who has to do it, switch to ter que: Hai que estudar → Teño que estudar.

Pronouns usually attach to the infinitive: Hai que facelo hoxe. When the object comes first for emphasis, a pronoun repeats it: Isto hai que facelo hoxe.

Negation: Non hai que pagar usually means "there is no need to pay". In advice it can also work as a warning: Non hai que perder a esperanza (one must not lose hope).

Examples (6)

  1. Hai que ter paciencia.

    You need to be patient.

    Word by Word: There-is that have patience.

  2. Hai que saír cedo para non perder o tren.

    We need to leave early so we don't miss the train.

  3. Houbo que chamar un fontaneiro.

    We had to call a plumber.

    Houbo is the preterite of impersonal haber: one completed occasion.

  4. Había que camiñar moito para chegar á aldea.

    You had to walk a lot to get to the village.

    Había que describes a general situation in the past.

  5. Haberá que mercar máis leite.

    We'll have to buy more milk.

  6. Isto hai que facelo hoxe.

    This has to be done today.

    The object isto comes first, and the pronoun o repeats it on the infinitive: facer + o → facelo.

Common Mistakes

  • Giving hai que a subject.

    Hai que eu estude máis.
    Teño que estudar máis.

    Hai que cannot name who has the obligation. For a specific person, use ter que + infinitive.

  • Making haber plural to agree with a plural object.

    Han que arranxar as fiestras.
    Hai que arranxar as fiestras.

    Impersonal haber always stays singular: hai que, había que, haberá que.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

hai que + InfinitiveLevel 2One Must: Hai Que

Learn This First

Hai que gives an impersonal obligation without naming a person.

Words in This Pattern

haber