he tenido que

I've had to

→ haber
phrase Uncommon #12,001
I've had to Used to say that something was necessary for you to do.
SP: He tenido que trabajar hasta tarde.
EN: I've had to work late.

He tenido que parar dos veces.

I've had to stop twice.

— Uno de los nuestros (1990)

No te enfades pero es que he tenido que hacerlo.

Don't be mad, but I had to do it.

Para huir he tenido que matar a dos personas.

To escape I had to kill two people.

— La piel que habito (2011)

Hasta de esto, he tenido que enterarme por tu amiga.

Even this, I had to find out from your friend.

— Todo sobre mi madre (1999)

Si supieras lo que he tenido que pasar para conseguir este dinero.

If you only knew what I've had to go through to get this money.

— Las noches de Cabiria (1957)

He tenido que hacerlo, tío.

I had to do it, man.

— American Gangster (2007)

Por la noche yo he tenido que dejar de mirarla, porque luego duermo fatal.

At night, I’ve had to stop looking at her because I sleep terribly afterward.

— Volver (2006)

Y porque he tenido que probar el palo de otra forma.

And because I've had to try the stick another way.

— Funny Games (1997)

No sabes cuántas veces, he tenido que despertarme para sacarte de apuros.

You have no idea how many times I've had to wake up to get you out of trouble.

— Marty Supreme (2025)

Le he tenido que prometer que esta noche cenamos en su bar.

I had to promise him that we'd have dinner at his bar tonight.

— Hable con ella (2002)

He tenido que llevarme al jefe.

I had to take the boss with me.

— El odio (1995)

Pensé que el autobús era gratis, pero he tenido que pagar.

I thought the bus was free, but I had to pay.

He tenido que estar en el hospital mucho tiempo.

I've had to be in the hospital for a long time.

He tenido que pasar más tiempo en el canal.

I've had to spend more time on the channel.

He tenido que hacerlo.

I had to do it.

Nunca antes he tenido que enfrentarme a este tipo de cosas.

I've never had to deal with this kind of thing before.

Lo que he tenido que oír por tu culpa.

What I've had to hear because of you.

— Adiós, muchachos (1987)

Casi he tenido que obligarla a traerme.

I've nearly had to force her to bring me along.

— Comer, beber, amar (1994)

He tenido que contárselo todo.

I had to tell him everything.

— Contratiempo (2017)