Breakdown of Mi mentora explica que hay que poner un límite al tiempo en redes sociales.
mi
my
en
on
que
that
a
to
Questions & Answers about Mi mentora explica que hay que poner un límite al tiempo en redes sociales.
What does hay que mean here, and how is it different from tener que?
Hay que + infinitive is an impersonal expression meaning “one must / it’s necessary to…” in a general sense, without saying who exactly has to do it.
Tener que + infinitive usually has a subject and means “to have to…”:
- Tenemos que poner un límite…
→ We have to set a limit… (we, specifically)
So:
- Use hay que for general necessity: people in general/one should…
- Use tener que for specific people: I/you/we/they have to…
Why is it mi mentora explica que and not mi mentora explica de que?
In Spanish, the verb explicar is followed directly by que, without the preposition de:
- ✅ explicar que…
- ❌ explicar de que…
Que here is a conjunction introducing a subordinate clause:
- Mi mentora explica que…
→ My mentor explains that…
Adding de (explica de que) is a common mistake even among native speakers; it’s called “dequeísmo” and is considered incorrect in standard grammar.
What is the nuance of using mentora instead of mentor?