Expressing General Obligations with Hay que
When you want to state a general rule or obligation without pointing to a specific person, Spanish uses the phrase hay que. It translates roughly to "one must" or "it is necessary to."
To use it, simply combine hay que with an infinitive verb (a verb in its unconjugated form, ending in -ar, -er, or -ir). Since it is an impersonal expression, the form never changes!
| One must respect the rules. | Hay que respetar las normas. |
| One must use the helmet for safety. | Hay que usar el casco por seguridad. |
Talking About Safety Guidelines
Because hay que is perfect for stating what is required, it is heavily used for safety guidelines (la seguridad) and regulations (las normas).
| One must pay attention to the signs. | Hay que prestar atención a las señales. |
| The engineer believes that one must use this tool. | El ingeniero cree que hay que usar esta herramienta. |
Setting Conditions with Si
You can easily combine these general obligations with the word si (if) to explain what must be done in specific situations or emergencies.
| If you see a fire, one must leave here. | Si ves un fuego, hay que salir de aquí. |
| If there is a problem, one must protect the people. | Si hay un problema, hay que proteger a la gente. |
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