Spanish for English speakers Townhall · Lesson 0

Asking for instructions

Ask for instructions in Spanish — ¿Dónde tengo que firmar? (Where do I have to sign?) — with the obligation construction tener que.

Conversation

  1. Bob Bob

    Disculpe, ¿dónde tengo que firmar?

    Excuse me, where am I supposed to sign?

    Tip: <Tener que> expresses obligation but also a certain hypothesis

  2. PX296 PX296

    Tiene que firmar en la esquina de abajo a la izquierda

    You have to sign in the lower left hand corner

    Tip: You're addressing to someone you don't know, so use <usted> instead of "tú", therefore <Tiene> and not <Tienes> // arriba = on // abajo = under // de arriba = above // de abajo = below

  3. Bob Bob

    ¿Aquí?

    Here?

  4. PX296 PX296

    No. Arriba. Al fondo

    No. Not at the top. At the bottom

    Tip: <Fondo> = bottom

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

How do you express obligation in Spanish?

Tener que + infinitive: tengo que firmar (I have to sign), tienes que estudiar (you have to study).

Spanish for 'sign / signature'?

Firmar (verb, to sign), la firma (noun, signature). ¿Dónde firmo? = 'where do I sign?'.

What is la esquina?

'The corner'. La esquina de abajo (bottom corner), la esquina de arriba (top corner), a la izquierda/derecha (left/right corner).

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