How to Say ‘I had to go’ in Mexican Spanish
Tuve que irme
TOO-beh keh EER-meh
[TOO-beh keh EER-meh]
💬 Usage Tip: tener que plus a verb means "to have to": tuve que pagar "I had to pay". The me on irme adds a sense of going off a certain way.
Phrase Breakdown
Tuve
[TOO-beh]
I had
Past tense of 'tener'; 'tuve que' means 'I had to'.
Tuve que esperar.
I had to wait.
que
[keh]
to
In 'tener que' it expresses obligation.
Tengo que pagar.
I have to pay.
irme
[EER-meh]
to go (myself)
'Irse' with 'me' attached: to go, take a route.
Voy a irme temprano.
I'm going to leave early.
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