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tenías que

you had to

→ tener
phrase Uncommon #12,070
you had to With an infinitive, expresses past obligation or what someone was expected to do. In negative sentences, it can mean “you didn’t have to” or “you shouldn’t have,” depending on context.
SP: Tenías que llamarme antes.
EN: You should have called me earlier.

Sólo tenías que pedírmelo.

You only had to ask me.

— GOAT: La cabra que cambió el juego (2026)

No te tenías que vestir.

You didn't have to get dressed.

Por qué tenías que traerla?

Why did you have to bring her?

— Le notti di Cabiria (1957)

Tenías que haber sido tú.

It should have been you.

Era algo que tenías que descubrir gradualmente.

It was something you had to discover gradually.

¿Por qué tenías que decir eso?

Why did you have to say that?

Solo tenías que pedirlo.

All you had to do was ask.

— Abre los ojos (1997)

¿Por qué pensabas que tenías que hacer eso?

Why did you think you had to do that?

Circuit, ¿tenías que elegir esta universidad, no?

Circuit, you had to choose this university, right?

— मुन्ना भाई एम बी बी एस (2003)

Tenías que haber visto la caldera funcionando.

You should have seen the boiler running.

— Juno: Crecer, correr y tropezar (2007)

¿No tenías que irte?

Weren’t you supposed to leave?

— Oppenheimer (2023)

¡No tenías que haber aceptado el trabajo entonces!

Then you shouldn’t have accepted the job!

— Andrei Rublev (1966)

Pero tenías que resistirte.

But you had to resist.

— Temporada de Sangre (2025)

Tenías que ser tú.

It had to be you.

— ¡Ayuda! (2026)

Pero aun así, tenías que conocerme primero.

But even so, you had to get to know me first.

— Anatomía de una Caída (2023)

Mira, es algo que tenías que hacer.

Look, it's something you had to do.

Te tenías que morir.

You had to die.

— Roma (2018)

Tenías que irte primero, para yo poder seguirte.

You had to leave first, so that I could follow you.

— Madre (2009)

¿Por qué tenías que volar el edificio, Hans?

Why did you have to blow up the building, Hans?

— Duro de matar (1988)

Me tenías que haber consultado.

You should have asked me.

— Volver (2006)

Pues tenías que querer despertarme.

Well, you were supposed to want to wake me up.

— Familia (2023)

Tenías que haberlo dicho antes.

You should have said so sooner.

— Yo vi al diablo (2010)

¿No tenías que madrugar mañana?

Didn't you have to get up early tomorrow?

— Abre los ojos (1997)

Sólo tenías que hablar con Zé Pequeno.

You just had to talk to Zé Pequeno.

— Ciudad de Dios (2002)

Si querías sándwiches, tenías que ir a Granny’s.

If you wanted sandwiches, you should have gone to Granny’s.

¡No tenías que matarlo!

You didn't have to kill him!

— El Perfecto Asesino (1994)

Tenías que venir tú solo.

You were supposed to come alone.

— Sonidos vecinos (2012)

Tenías que ser mejor que tu padre.

You had to be better than your father.

¿Por qué tenías que volver?

Why did you have to come back?

— स्वदेस (2004)

Lo apagué, tenías que descansar.

I turned it off, you needed to rest.

— Sin Amor (2017)

Pero hija mía, ¿tenías que ir hasta Messina para meterte en problemas?

But my daughter, did you have to go all the way to Messina to get into trouble?

— Divorzio all'italiana (1961)

Me tenías que haber contado la historia completa.

You should have told me the whole story.

Tenías que habérmelo dicho.

You should have told me.

— El Club de la Pelea (1999)

¿Por qué tenías que beber y bailar?

Why did you have to drink and dance?

— पीकू (2015)