Breakdown of Tengo que pagar la multa hoy en el banco.
yo
I
hoy
today
en
at, in
tener que
to have to
pagar
to pay
el banco
the bank
la multa
the fine
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Questions & Answers about Tengo que pagar la multa hoy en el banco.
Why does the sentence start with Tengo que? Is that a fixed structure?
Yes. Tener que + infinitive is a very common way to express obligation in Spanish, equivalent to have to in English.
- Tengo = I have (from tener)
- que = introduces the obligation
- pagar = infinitive (to pay) So Tengo que pagar = I have to pay.
Why is it tengo and not tener?
Tener is the infinitive (to have). In a real sentence you usually conjugate the verb to match the subject.
- yo tengo = I have
Spanish often drops yo because tengo already shows it’s I.
Does que here mean what?
No. This que is not the question word qué (what).
- que (no accent) is used in structures like tener que (to have to)
- qué (with accent) is what, used in questions/exclamations: ¿Qué pasa? (What’s happening?)
Can I say Debo pagar la multa instead of Tengo que pagar la multa?
Yes, and the meaning is very similar:
- Tengo que pagar... = very common, neutral, everyday obligation
- Debo pagar... = also means I must/should pay, can sound a bit more formal or “duty-like” In Latin America, tengo que is extremely common in conversation.
What exactly is la multa? Why is it la?
Multa means a fine (for example, a traffic fine or penalty fee). It’s a feminine noun, so it takes feminine articles:
- la multa = the fine Spanish normally uses the definite article (el/la) more often than English does in this kind of sentence.
Why is hoy placed there? Can it move?
Yes, hoy (today) is flexible. All of these are natural:
- Tengo que pagar la multa hoy en el banco.
- Hoy tengo que pagar la multa en el banco.
- Tengo que pagar hoy la multa en el banco. (less common, but possible) Changing placement can slightly shift emphasis, but the basic meaning stays the same.
Why does it say en el banco and not al banco?
Because en expresses location: at/in the bank (where the payment happens).
- en el banco = at the bank
- al banco = to the bank (movement/destination), from a + el = al If you want to emphasize going there, you’d use a verb of motion:
- Tengo que ir al banco a pagar la multa. = I have to go to the bank to pay the fine.
What’s the difference between banco and banqueta (or banca)?
In Latin American Spanish:
- banco = bank (financial institution)
- banqueta = sidewalk (common in Mexico and some other areas)
- banca can mean bench or banking sector depending on context, but for a physical bank building you want banco.
What does pagar require grammatically? Do I need a (like pagar a alguien)?
Pagar is usually used as:
- pagar + [thing]: pagar la multa (pay the fine) You use a mainly when you mention the person/entity receiving the money:
- pagarle al banco / pagar al banco (pay the bank) But in your sentence, the focus is the bill/fine itself (la multa), so no a is needed.
Why is it el banco and not lo banco or something else?
Because banco is a masculine noun, so it uses the masculine article:
- el banco = the bank
lo is not used as the. Lo is usually a neuter article/pronoun used in other structures (like lo bueno, I like it = me gusta eso/lo depending on context), not for naming regular nouns.
Is the subject yo required? Could I say Yo tengo que pagar...?
You can, but it’s optional:
- Tengo que pagar... is the most natural and common.
- Yo tengo que pagar... adds emphasis or contrast (like I have to pay, not someone else).