tengo que irme
/tenɡo ke iɾme/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I have to go" is translated into Spanish as tengo que irme.
tengo que irme is used to indicate that the speaker must leave their current location.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of tengo (I have), que (that/to), ir (to go) and the reflexive suffix -me (myself).
Which one should you use?
The inclusion of the reflexive pronoun -me in tengo que irme emphasizes the act of the speaker departing from their current location. In contrast, tengo que ir is often used when the destination is the focus, such as when saying one must go to a specific place like work.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, the expression tengo que partir is used to mean "I have to go".
How do you pronounce it?
/tenɡo ke iɾme/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying tengo que irme immediately may seem abrupt. People often preface it with a phrase like Bueno or Bueno, pues to soften the departure.
- While tengo que irme is standard, you might hear people in Spain use me piro as a very informal, slang way to say 'I'm off'.
- The word que in your phrase descends from the Latin 'quid', meaning 'what', making it a distant linguistic relative of the English word 'who'.
Examples in context
- Ahora tengo que irme.Well, I have to go now.Tatoeba #771956 by Shishir, translation #72133 by CM
- Tengo que irme ahora.I have to go now.Tatoeba #959649 by hayastan, translation #321700 by CK
- Tengo que irme a dormir.I have to go to sleep.Tatoeba #2482 by Shishir, translation #1277 by vinhan
- Perdone, pero tengo que irme ahoraExcuse me, but I have to go now
- Lamento tener que interrumpir, pero debo marcharmeI'm sorry to interrupt, but I must go
- Disculpe, necesito retirarme tempranoExcuse me, I need to leave early
- Chicos, me tengo que ir, nos vemos mañanaGuys, I have to go, see you tomorrow
- Tenemos que hablar más tarde, voy a salir ahoraWe need to talk later, I'm going to leave now
- ¡Fue genial verte! Me retiro, nos hablamos prontoIt was great seeing you! I'm leaving, let's talk soon
- Tengo que irme a las seisI have to go at six o'clock
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are finishing a coffee at a cafe.
- AlejandroLo siento, Lucía, pero tengo que irme.I'm sorry, Lucía, but I have to go.
- Lucía¿Tan pronto? ¿Tienes una reunión?So soon? Do you have a meeting?
- AlejandroSí, es muy importante.Yes, it is very important.
- LucíaEstá bien, nos vemos luego.Alright, see you later.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries que, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
