Me tengo que ir
/me tenɡo ke iɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I have to leave" is translated into Spanish as Me tengo que ir.
This phrase is used to state that one must depart from a place.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of me (myself), tengo (I have), que (that/to) and ir (to go).
Which one should you use?
While Me tengo que ir expresses necessity, the phrase Me voy is a more direct way to say "I am leaving" or "I'm off" and is often used as a shorter, more immediate alternative.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, people commonly use Tengo que marcharme to say "I have to leave".
How does it change in a sentence?
The reflexive pronoun me can be moved to the end of the phrase by attaching it to the infinitive ir, resulting in Tengo que irme.
How do you pronounce it?
/me tenɡo ke iɾ/
Did you know?
- Saying Me tengo que ir often triggers 'la despedida', a social ritual of saying goodbye. In many cultures, this process is so elaborate that the person may not actually exit the building for several more minutes.
- The word ir is a linguistic puzzle where different forms come from entirely different verbs. While the root is 'to go', the form voy comes from the Latin vādere and the past tense fui comes from the Latin word for 'to be'.
- Depending on the region, a command to leave can shift from the root of ir to the root of andar, which means 'to walk'.
Examples in context
- Ahora me tengo que ir.I have to leave now.This sentence shows how to use Me tengo que ir with the word now.Tatoeba #1105256 by Shishir, translation #31380 by CK
- Me tengo que ir temprano mañana.I have to leave early tomorrow.This sentence shows how to use Me tengo que ir with a time expression.Tatoeba #9466390 by hayastan, translation #9466394 by DJ_Saidez
- Me tengo que ir porque alguien me está esperando afuera.I have to leave because there's someone waiting for me outside.This sentence shows how to use Me tengo que ir to give a reason for leaving.Tatoeba #1466883 by marcelostockle, translation #1503067 by CK
- Tengo que irme porque tengo una cita importante.I have to leave because I have an important appointment.
- Lo siento, pero tengo que irme ahora.I'm sorry, but I have to leave now.
- Me tengo que ir porque tengo una reunión mañana.I have to leave because I have a meeting tomorrow.
- Perdón, pero me tengo que ir temprano hoy.Sorry, but I have to leave early today.
- Perdón, pero tengo que irme ahora, si no es inconveniente.Sorry, but I have to leave now, if it's not inconvenient.
- Disculpa, pero me tengo que ir en este momento, si no te importa.Excuse me, but I have to leave right now, if you don't mind.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Mateo are finishing a coffee at a cafe.
- MaríaLo siento, Mateo, pero me tengo que ir.I'm sorry, Mateo, but I have to leave.
- Mateo¿Tan pronto? ¿Tienes mucho trabajo?So soon? Do you have a lot of work?
- MaríaSí, tengo una reunión muy importante.Yes, I have a very important meeting.
- MateoEntiendo, te veo luego.I understand, I'll see you 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.
