me tengo que ir
/me tenɡo ke iɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I have to go now" is translated into Spanish as me tengo que ir.
This phrase is used to indicate that the speaker must leave the current location or end a conversation.
Which one should you use?
While tengo que ir is grammatically possible, using the reflexive me (me tengo que ir) is much more natural when expressing that one is personally departing a location.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can also say tengo que irme, which is a common alternative to me tengo que ir with the same meaning. The reflexive pronoun me can be attached to the end of the infinitive ir instead of being placed before the conjugated verb tengo.
How do you pronounce it?
/me tenɡo ke iɾ/
Did you know?
- While me tengo que ir signals a departure, Spanish speakers often follow it with a 'false farewell' where they continue talking for several minutes while standing up. This prolonged exit is a common cultural ritual in many Hispanic countries.
- The verb ir is a linguistic patchwork. While the present tense comes from the Latin īre, the word for 'I go' voy comes from vādere and the past tense fui actually comes from the verb 'to be'.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, if you are told to 'go' in an imperative sense, you might hear andá, a form which actually comes from the verb 'andar' meaning 'to walk' rather than 'ir'.
Examples in context
- Ya me tengo que ir. ¡Chao!I have to go now. Bye!Tatoeba #3182257 by marcelostockle, translation #2093311 by gleki
- Bueno, ahora me tengo que ir.Well, I have to go now.Tatoeba #1944116 by marcelostockle, translation #72133 by CM
- Lo siento pero ahora me tengo que ir, tengo una cita en una hora. Por favor, no te olvides de volverme a llamar cuando llegue a casa.Sorry, but I have to go now. I have an appointment in one hour. Please don't forget to call me back when I get home.Tatoeba #2699949 by Shishir, translation #1169556 by cruzedu73
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are finishing a phone call.
- LucíaFue un gusto hablar contigo, Daniel.It was a pleasure talking to you, Daniel.
- DanielIgualmente, Lucía. ¿Te quedas más tiempo?Likewise, Lucía. Are you staying longer?
- LucíaNo, me tengo que ir ahora.No, I have to go now.
- DanielEstá bien, hablamos luego.Alright, we'll talk later.
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.
