Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Eles têm de cozinhar o peixe para o jantar.

To say someone 'has to' or 'must' do something, Portuguese uses the verb ter (to have) followed by the preposition de, and then the action verb in its basic, unchanged form (the infinitive). Here, Eles têm means 'they have', de connects it, and cozinhar is the infinitive 'to cook'. Together, têm de cozinhar means 'they have to cook'.

Why does têm have an accent mark on the 'e'?

The circumflex accent (the little hat) marks the plural form. Ele tem (without the accent) means 'he has', while eles têm (with the accent) means 'they have'. It helps tell the singular and plural apart in writing, and it also indicates a slightly stronger, more nasal pronunciation for the plural word.

Can I use têm que cozinhar instead of têm de cozinhar?

Yes! In everyday spoken Portuguese, you will hear people say têm que just as often as têm de. Both mean 'have to'. However, ter de is considered the strictly correct grammatical form for expressing obligations, which is why you see it used here in the written lesson.

Why is it para o jantar instead of just para jantar?