He de pagar la factura amb targeta o en efectiu?

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Breakdown of He de pagar la factura amb targeta o en efectiu?

• haver de: to have to
• o: or
• en: in

Questions & Answers about He de pagar la factura amb targeta o en efectiu?

Why does he de mean I have to? It looks like he should mean I have.

In Catalan, haver de + infinitive is a very common structure meaning to have to / must.

So:

• he = I have
• he de pagar = I have to pay

This is different from English, where have can be either a main verb or part of have to. In Catalan, the de is essential here.

Some examples:

• He de marxar. = I have to leave.
• Has d’estudiar. = You have to study.
• Han de venir. = They have to come.

So in your sentence, He de pagar... means Do I have to pay... / I have to pay..., and with question intonation it becomes a question.

Why is there no separate word for do in the question?

Catalan does not use do/does/did the way English does to form questions.

English:

• Do I have to pay...?

Catalan:

• He de pagar...?

Catalan usually forms yes/no questions by:

• using the same word order as a statement, and
• changing the intonation in speech, or
• using question marks in writing.

So:

• He de pagar la factura amb targeta o en efectiu. = I have to pay the bill by card or in cash.
• = Do I have to pay the bill by card or in cash?