"We have to play in a group."

Translation: Tenemos que jugar en grupo.

[rocko2012]

If they were talking about music would "tocar" be acceptable here?

[Iago]

Yep. It you typed that to translate from the English and got marked wrong, it simply means DuoLingo didn't consider that sense of the English translation.

[hesolomon]

Thanks. That was my question too.

[SraDPhx]

Yes. And it makes more sense to play in a musical GROUP than to play sports in a group because in sports, the group is usually called a TEAM (un equipo). Context!

[Lavmarx]

Yes, I reported it, you should too!

[Bill-Roca]

Why is "in a group" translated "en grupo". Why is the 'a' not translated?

If it were "in the group" would it also be 'en grupo' or would the article 'the' get translated?

[Lavmarx]

It should be translated:

In group - en grupo

In a group- en un grupo

In the group- en el grupo

[geneven]

"In group" is not a normal English phrase, so I suppose "en grupo" has to be translated "in a group" or "in the group".

[Bill-Roca]

Thanks Litoalxk ... for this and for your other recent posts in this thread.

[E.T.s_Son]

The definite and indefinite article aren't used after the preposition en (and sometimes de) and the verb hablar. According to the book I'm reading.

[rodstudio]

"play" with "group" = TOCAR (de música), "play" with "team" = JUGAR (de juego o deporte)

[kacdaddy]

Jugar y grupo, thought of a kids play group. Or just playing with more than a few people. But otherwise, I agree, playing sports would be team and equipo.

[AgentD1]

Is the que needed as a tener expression?

[Lavmarx]

Yes, "tener que" = "have to"

Tengo que pagar la renta.

Tengo que ir al banco.

Tengo que salir a las nueve.

When you have something, then it's just "tengo"

Tengo hambre

Tengo ganas de leer

Tengo una mascota

[aogden91]

Could you not say "Necesitamos jugar..."?

[shanelleg]

I think "necesitar" is used for actual needs/necessities, such as "this plant needs watering" = "esta planta necesita que la rieguen" (got that example from spanishdict.com). The plant needs watering or it will die; if we don't play in a group, we'll be ok.

[kacdaddy]

Good explanation. Necesitar could be used for strong emphasis too, alikening it to the dire need for something. A teacher may use it to stress the need to do something or else you'll fail. Tener que is easier, and best to use, even more than deber.

[Ritos753]

Debemos is far more akin to should than necesitar is to actual needs.

[gulmer]

That would function in the same way (more or less), but it's not a literal translation of the sentence.

[Hillarysdobson]

When to use estamos and when to use tenemos?

[Lisagnipura]

Hola Jim! "estamos" = we are............"tenemos" = we have

[learnTACO32]

when to use HEMOS vs. TENEMOS. Certain situations seem confusing to me. Thanks

[Lisagnipura]

Hola learnTACO32: "Hemos" comes from "haber" and is only used as a helping verb to form the compound tenses like: "hemos llegado" we have arrived; "he escrito" I have written; "habían leído" they had written, etc. "Tenemos" comes from "tener" which means "to have" in the sense of "to possess". It can be used by itself: tengo = I have, tienes= you have etc. It can also be used in the phrase "to have to (do something)" such as, "Tengo que terminar mi tarea" I have to finish my homework. In this phrase it must be followed by "que" and the infinitive of the next verb. The "que" is not translated into English. This phrase has the sense of an obligation, something you must do. Make sense?

[learnTACO32]

Gracias Lisagnipura por tu respuesta. Se me ayudó mucho. "Tengo que terminar mi tarea" es igualmente a "I have to finish my homework." "?He terminando mi tarea" es igualmente a "I have finished my homework"? ?Correcto o no correcto? Gracias. P.S. (Hope my spanish is close to correct)

[Lisagnipura]

LearnTACO: Both or your sentences are correct. In your post, though, I recommend that you use "igual" instead of "igualmente". CHAU

[mrule]

Is there a construction in Spanish that more directly translates to English "must"?

[Yerrick]

I believe this is the Spanish word "deber" and its conjugations.

[TimEsh]

Can someone explain why in Spanish they say "in group" rather than "in a group"?

[Lavmarx]

You can say both, "en grupo" or "en un grupo", to my understanding there is no difference.

[duo524]

My "en un grupo" was marked wrong!! [On January 15, 2016]

[k-kayak]

In an earlier post, someone shared this website showing that often Spanish omits the article when English uses it. I found it helpful and saved it, so here it is: http://spanish.about.com/od/adjectives/a/indefinite.htm

[gulmer]

to car should be accepted. they could be referring to a band, or any number of other things in which to car could be accepted.

[QMario]

Debemos? That came out of left field

[JimBerry2]

I know. DL keeps giving "he" in the drop down but rarely accepts it...???

[Lavmarx]

"He" not used to express possession if that's what you mean. You could use it in this sentence with another construction, but you'd never hear it outside fantasy movies probably.

[reastwoodstone]

Why did 'tenemos jugar en grupo' get marked wrong and the correction said 'debemos jugar en grupo.' Has anyone else had the same problem?

[Lavmarx]

You would need "que" after "tenemos".

[zidarduda]

I used tenemos que and was marked wrong said to use debemos

[Suze152]

Why not "tenemos ganas de"?

[duo524]

hmmm ... Why is "Tenemos que jugar en un grupo." marked wrong because of my including 'un' ? [January 15, 2016]

[gordonjackson1]

Why is "un" required only with "tocar"? Tenemos que tocar en un grupo", BUT "Tenemos que jugar en grupo."

[Scott31461]

New to this and trying to learn.

Since jugar means "to play" why is que needed?
If que can translate to "to" doesn't the sentence end up being, "We have to to play in a group."?