Learn Spanish (Spain): Hay que respetar las normas.

The phrase hay que is used to say "one must" or "it is necessary to" do something. It is an impersonal expression, meaning it doesn't refer to any specific person (like I, you, or she), but rather states a general rule that everyone should follow.

How is hay que different from tener que?

You use tener que when a specific person has an obligation, so the verb changes to match them (for example, tengo que means "I have to"). You use hay que when talking about a general rule for everybody, and it never changes its form.

Why is respetar not conjugated here?

After the phrase hay que, the action verb is always left in the infinitive form (the dictionary form ending in -ar, -er, or -ir). That is why we use respetar (to respect) just as it is.

Does normas mean "norms" or "rules"?

It can mean both! While it looks like the English word "norms", in Spanish las normas is very commonly used to mean "the rules" or "the regulations" of a place.