Breakdown of Tenemos que esconder el regalo detrás de la cortina.
tener
to have
el regalo
the gift
que
that / than
esconder
to hide
Questions & Answers about Tenemos que esconder el regalo detrás de la cortina.
Why do we need de after detrás? Can I just say detrás la cortina?
Why is it Tenemos que esconder instead of just Tenemos esconder?
When you want to express an obligation ('have to'), you always use the phrase tener que followed by an unconjugated verb (an infinitive). If you drop the que, it sounds like you are saying 'We possess to hide' in English. The que is the essential bridge that changes the verb 'to have' into 'to have to'.
Is esconder used for hiding both objects and people?
Yes! You can use esconder for hiding objects, like el regalo (the gift) in this sentence. If you want to say you are hiding yourself, you would use the reflexive version, esconderse (for example, Me escondo means 'I hide myself').