Spanish · B2 · Family moment
Checked Before We Begin in Spanish
This guide focuses on describing necessary safety checks and preparations using the 'haber de + infinitive' or passive 'se' structures to convey necessity and possibility in Spanish, similar to the English 'is to be' construction.
What you'll learn
- Express necessity and requirements using 'haber de' and 'hay que'.
- Use the passive 'se' to describe actions that need to be performed on objects.
- Express impossibility or difficulty using 'no se puede' or 'apenas se'.
- Describe routine safety checks for childcare in natural B2-level Spanish.
Spanish phrases for checked before we begin
Hay que comprobar el agua del baño antes de que entres, pequeño.
The bath water is to be checked before you go in, little one.
'Hay que' is a common way to express that something must be done.
El arnés del carrito ha de abrocharse antes de que nos pongamos en marcha.
Your stroller harness is to be fastened before we set off.
'Ha de abrocharse' uses the passive 'se' with 'haber de' to indicate a requirement.
Estas uvas han de cortarse longitudinalmente en cuartos antes de que te las comas.
These grapes are to be cut lengthways into quarters before you eat them.
Note the use of the subjunctive 'comas' after 'antes de que'.
Tu pañal mojado ha de cambiarse antes de que estemos cómodos.
Your wet nappy is to be changed before we get cosy.
'Cómodos' refers to the general state of comfort.
Tu babero limpio se ha de encontrar en el cajón de arriba.
Your clean bib is to be found in the top drawer.
'Se ha de encontrar' suggests where it should be located.
Este nudo no se puede deshacer con una sola mano, así que primero te pondré en un lugar seguro.
This knot cannot be undone with one hand, so I'll put you somewhere safe first.
'No se puede deshacer' expresses impossibility.
Ese juguete de baño roto ya no se puede usar, cariño.
That broken bath toy can no longer be used, sweetheart.
'Ya no' translates to 'no longer'.
El patito diminuto apenas se puede ver bajo todas esas burbujas.
The tiny duck can hardly be seen under all those bubbles.
'Apenas' is the natural way to say 'hardly' or 'scarcely'.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
Arnés
Harness
Refers to the safety straps in strollers or high chairs.
Longitudinalmente
Lengthways
Crucial safety term for cutting food for toddlers to prevent choking.
Ponerse en marcha
To set off / To get going
A common idiom for starting a journey or walk.
Deshacer
To undo / untie
The opposite of 'hacer' (to do/make).
Expressing Necessity: Haber de + Infinitive
In Spanish, the structure 'haber de + infinitive' is a formal way to express obligation or a planned action, similar to 'is to be' in English. In a passive sense, it is often combined with the pronoun 'se'.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement | Ha de + [Participio] | El agua ha de ser comprobada. |
| Passive Se | [Objeto] + se ha de + [Infinitivo] | El arnés se ha de abrochar. |
Impossibility and Difficulty
To express that an action cannot be performed on an object, we use 'no se puede' followed by the infinitive. To say something can 'hardly' be done, we use 'apenas se puede'.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Impossibility | No se puede + [Infinitivo] | No se puede abrir. |
| Difficulty | Apenas se puede + [Infinitivo] | Apenas se puede ver. |
More examples
La leche ha de probarse antes de darte el biberón.
The milk is to be tasted before giving you the bottle.
Using 'ha de probarse' for a safety check.
La puerta se ha de cerrar con llave por seguridad.
The door is to be locked for safety.
Passive 'se' construction indicating a rule.
Ese zapato no se puede poner sin calcetines.
That shoe cannot be put on without socks.
Expressing a practical impossibility.