Tengo que estudiar después de la escuela.

I have to study after school.

Breakdown of Tengo que estudiar después de la escuela.

• yo: I
• la escuela: the school
• estudiar: to study
• después de: after
• tener que: to have to

Questions & Answers about Tengo que estudiar después de la escuela.

Why do we use tengo que instead of tengo de or another phrase?

In Spanish, tener que + infinitive expresses necessity or obligation (like "I have to do something"). Tener de is not commonly used in modern Spanish for obligation; you might hear "debo" (from deber) or "necesito" instead, but "tengo que" is the most common everyday way to say "I have to."

Why is there a de in después de la escuela?

When después is followed by a noun, Spanish requires the preposition de (literally "after of"), so you get "después de la escuela". Think of it as one complete expression meaning "after school."

Could I say después de mi escuela instead of después de la escuela?

Yes, but in most contexts, Spaniards just say "la escuela" to mean the school they attend. Using "mi escuela" sounds more possessive or specific, implying a personal connection to that particular school. There’s nothing incorrect grammatically, but "la escuela" is more common in general conversation.

What is the difference between tengo que estudiar and necesito estudiar?

Tengo que estudiar directly translates to "I have to study," highlighting an obligation or necessity. Necesito estudiar translates to "I need to study," which is still a necessity but might sound slightly more personal or urgent depending on the context. Both forms are correct; it often depends on personal preference or the nuance you want to convey.

Can I place después de la escuela at the beginning of the sentence?

Yes. You can say "Después de la escuela, tengo que estudiar". Spanish word order can be more flexible than English, but keep in mind that starting with después de la escuela slightly emphasizes the time frame before mentioning what you have to do. Both orders—beginning or end of the sentence—are grammatically correct.