me tengo que ir
/me tenɡo ke iɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I gotta go" is translated into Spanish as me tengo que ir.
This phrase is used to say that you must leave a place or end a conversation.
Which one should you use?
While me tengo que ir is the most common way to express this, you can use me tengo que marchar to sound more formal or professional by using the verb marchar instead of ir. Other variations include the colloquial tengo que largarme, which means "I have to take off."
How does it change in a sentence?
The reflexive pronoun me can be moved to the end of the phrase and attached to the infinitive ir to form tengo que irme. Additionally, while omitting the reflexive pronoun to say tengo que ir is grammatically possible, it is less common in natural speech when expressing the act of leaving.
How do you pronounce it?
/me tenɡo ke iɾ/
Did you know?
- The word ir is a 'suppletive' verb, meaning its different tenses come from entirely different roots. For example, voy comes from the Latin 'vādere' while fui actually comes from the Latin 'esse' meaning 'to be'.
- Using the phrase tengo que largarme can imply that the person is leaving because they are annoyed or in a hurry to escape a bad situation, rather than just needing to go.
Examples in context
- Chicos, me tengo que ir.Guys, I gotta go.This sentence shows how to address a group of people while saying you gotta go using me tengo que ir.Tatoeba #580617 by Shishir, translation #402546 by Dorenda
- Se hace tarde, me tengo que ir.It's getting late. I gotta go.This sentence uses me tengo que ir to explain that you are leaving because it is getting late.Tatoeba #480050 by Raimondi, translation #383505 by kellenparker
- Debo irme ahoraI must go now
- Me tengo que ir en cinco minutosI have to go in five minutes
- Disculpen, pero debo irmeSorry, but I have to go
- Perdón, tengo que marcharmeSorry, I have to leave
- Lo siento, me tengo que ir ahora.I'm sorry, I gotta go now.
Example conversation
Javier and María are talking on the phone.
- Javier¿Quieres ir al cine mañana?Do you want to go to the movies tomorrow?
- MaríaSí, suena bien, pero me tengo que ir.Yes, that sounds good, but I gotta go.
- JavierEstá bien, hablamos luego, María.Alright, we'll talk later, María.
- MaríaAdiós, Javier.Goodbye, Javier.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ir, me, que, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
