Breakdown of Hay que preparar la maleta temprano.
haber
to be (there is / there are)
la maleta
the suitcase
temprano
early
que
that / than
preparar
to prepare
Questions & Answers about Hay que preparar la maleta temprano.
The translation says 'You have to', but I don't see a word for 'you'. How does that work?
The phrase hay que is used to talk about general obligations. It literally translates to 'it is necessary to' or 'one must'. Even though it translates well as a general 'You have to' in English, it doesn't point to one specific person.
Why is preparar in its infinitive form instead of being conjugated?
The phrase hay que is always followed directly by an infinitive (the base dictionary form of a verb, ending in -ar, -er, or -ir). Because hay que handles the obligation part of the sentence, preparar just tells us what the required action is.
Could I say tienes que preparar instead of hay que preparar?
Yes, but it changes the focus slightly. Tienes que is a personal obligation, meaning 'you' specifically must do it. Hay que is impersonal, suggesting that it is a general rule or just a good idea for anyone to pack early.
Learn Hay que preparar la maleta temprano and more in Spanish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free