tengo que hacer caca
/tenɡo ke aθeɾ kaka/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the phrase to say "I gotta poop" is tengo que hacer caca.
This phrase is an informal way to express that you need to use the bathroom to defecate.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of tengo que (I have to) and hacer caca (to do/make poop).
Which one should you use?
While tengo que hacer caca explicitly mentions the act of defecating, you can use tengo que ir al baño as a more polite and indirect way to express the same need.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
tengo que hacer caca is an informal phrase and is typically used among children or in very casual settings with family.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Caribbean and some Latin American countries, you may also hear the colloquial version Tengo que hacer popó.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb tener is conjugated in the first person singular present tense to indicate the speaker's current need.
How do you pronounce it?
/tenɡo ke aθeɾ kaka/
Did you know?
- The word caca is a noun derived from the Latin verb cacare, which was the direct action of defecating. It is closely related to the much more vulgar Spanish verb cagar, making them doublets of the same linguistic root.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying tengo que hacer caca as an adult in a social setting is considered remarkably childish, as it is the primary way toddlers speak.
- While tengo que hacer caca is the literal translation, in many countries a person might simply say me urge ir al baño to signal an urgent need without using any 'toilet words' at all.
Examples in context
- Tengo que hacer caca ahora mismo.I gotta poop right now.
- ¡Rápido, tengo que hacer caca!Quick, I gotta poop!
- No puedo hablar, tengo que hacer caca.I can't talk, I gotta poop.
Example conversation
At a friend's house during a board game.
- ElenaDaniel, ¿te importa si me levanto?Daniel, do you mind if I get up?
- DanielClaro, ¿pasa algo?Sure, is something wrong?
- ElenaEs que tengo que hacer caca.It's just that I gotta poop.
- DanielVale, el baño está al fondo.Okay, the bathroom is at the back.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caca, hacer, que, CC BY-SA 4.0.
