Phrase · ✋ Concession and insistence
Hay que salir a las cinco, no hay vuelta de hoja.
We have to leave at five, there's no way around it.
C2insisting on a necessityAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Hay1verbone hashaber · present · 3rd sing.que1conjunctiontosalir1verbleaveinfinitiveaprepositionatlasdeterminertheel · fem. · pl. · definitecincodeterminerfive,no2adverbnohay2verbthere ishaber · present · 3rd sing.vuelta2nounturnfem. · sing.de2prepositionofhoja2nounpagefem. · sing..
- Hay → salir: hay que + infinitive: impersonal obligation
- no → hoja: no hay vuelta de hoja: no way around it
- las → cinco: las cinco (horas): fem. pl.
Word for word: “One must leave at five, there is no turning of the page.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1hay que + infinitive = it is necessary, we/one must. The Brazilian impersonal tem que is never tiene que here. Verbal periphrases I: acabar de, empezar a, volver a, hay que →
- 2no hay vuelta de hoja = there is no other option, end of discussion. A fixed idiom used to close an argument.
Variations
- Hay que salir a las cinco, no queda otra.
- Tenemos que salir a las cinco sí o sí.
- Hay que salir a las cinco y punto.