The Verbal Periphrasis haber + que

Verbal periphrasis is a construction of two verbs that are generally joined by a preposition. Most of the time, one verb will be conjugated while the other takes an impersonal form such as infinitive, participle, or gerund. In this entry, you will learn about using and forming the verb periphrasis haber + que.

Use of the Verbal Periphrasis haber + que

Rule 1. It is generally used to express obligation — in other words, to indicate that it is important to carry out an activity.

In the example above, the speaker has decided to use this periphrasis to emphasize the urgency of stocking the pantry, since they have no food in their house.

Rule 2. In some cases, it can also be used to express an invitation when it is understood that the speaker really wants to perform the activity.

In this example, it is clearly understood that the speaker wants to see a horror movie. We know this because in addition to using verbal periphrasis, she also uses the expression ¡ándale!

Form of the Verbal Periphrasis haber + que

Rule 3. As you can see in the examples, the verb haber is impersonal. It is always used in the form hay for this verb phrase.

Rule 4. Add the preposition que followed by an infinitive verb. Thus, the structure is as follows: