Spanish Idioms Using Haber

Spanish Idioms Using Haber Like many other common verbs, haber is used to form a variety of idioms. As phrases whose meanings dont depend on the literal meanings of the individual words, idioms can be somewhat challenging to learn. But they are a necessary part of language, and some of them using haber express everyday concepts and are used often. Following are the most common idioms using haber. For other usages of haber, see lessons on its use as an auxiliary verb and as a translation for there is or there are. Also note that the conjugation of haber is highly irregular. haber (in the third-person singular) que infinitive - to be necessary to, to be essential to - Hay que comer. It is necessary to eat. Habr que salir a las tres. It will be necessary to leave at 3. haber de infinitive - to be to, to be supposed to - Hemos de salir a las tres. We are to leave at 3. He de viajar a Nueva York. I am supposed to go to New York. haber de infinitive - must (in the sense of showing high probability) - Ha de ser inteligente. He must be intelligent. Habà ­a de ser las nueve de la noche. It must have been 9 p.m. habà ­a una vez (or, less frequently, hubo una vez) - Once upon a time ... - Habà ­a una vez un granjero que tenà ­a una granja muy grande. Once upon a time there was a farmer with a very large farm. no haber tal - to be no such thing - No hay tal cosa como un almuerzo gratis. Theres no such thing as a free lunch.  ¡Quà © hubo!,  ¡Quihà ºbole! (regional variation) - Hi! Whats happening? No hay de quà ©. - Dont mention it. Its n ot important. No big deal. habà ©rselas con - to have it out with, to quarrel with - Me las habà ­a con mi madre. I had it out with my mother.  ¿Cunto hay de ... ? - How far is it from ... ? -  ¿Cunto hay de aquà ­ al parque nacional? How far is it from here to the national park?  ¿Quà © hay?  ¿Quà © hay de nuevo? - Whats happening? Whats new? he aquà ­ - here is, here are. - He aquà ­ una lista de nombres. Here is a list of names. Heme aquà ­. - Here I am. He lo aquà ­. He lo allà ­. He los aquà ­. He los allà ­. - Here it is. There it is. Here they are. There they are.  ¡He dicho! - And thats that! Keep in mind also that many expressions use hay. Although the meaning of many of them can be deduced from the words, they arent necessarily translated literally. For example, hay sol (literally, there is sun) is often used for it is sunny, and  ¡eres de lo que no hay! (literally, you are of that which there are none) can be used for youre unbelievable! or something like that.