Business Spanish - The Spanish Auxiliary Verb

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LESSON XXVII.
(Lección vigesima séptima.)

THE AUXILIARY VERBS.

_Tener_ and _haber_ are used for the English "to have," followed by an
infinitive, as--

Tienen que acabar el trabajo para fines de Enero: They have to finish
the work for the end of January.

Hemos de seguir los consejos de los peritos en la materia: We have to
follow the advice of those expert in the matter.

In such cases _Tener_ is followed by _que_ and _Haber_ by _de_.[155] The
former indicates compulsion or necessity, the latter a moral or
self-imposed duty.

_Haber de_ translates also "to be to,"[155] as--

¿Quién ha de hacer este viaje? Who is to go on this journey?

_Tener de_ is used in threats--

Tengo de llevarlo ante el tribunal: I shall take him before the court.

"Tener que hacer, que escribir, que comer" and similar expressions
translate also "to have something to do, to write, to eat," as--

Hoy tengo que hacer: To-day I have something to do, I am busy.

Tengo mucho que hacer: I have much to do.

Tenemos que comer por todo el día: We have something to eat which will
suffice for the whole day.

_Haber_ is used as a principal verb instead of _Tener_ in--

Haber menester de algo: To need something.

He aquí el muchacho, etc.[156]: Here is the boy (behold the boy here,
etc.).

Héme aquí _or_ héteme[157] aquí, etc.: Here I am (behold me here, etc.).

It also survives in some legal phrases, as--

Fué habido el reo: The culprit was captured.

Los hijos habidos en su primera mujer: The children by his first wife.

And in some idioms, as--

Allá se las haya: That is his business.

Habérselas con uno: To dispute with anybody.

_Tener_ translates the English "to be" in such phrases as--

Tener hambre, sed, sueño, calor, frío, vergüenza, and miedo: To be
hungry, thirsty, sleepy, warm, cold, ashamed, and afraid.

Also speaking of age--

Tengo veinte años: I am twenty years old.

[Footnote 155: In all these cases _deber_ may be used instead.]

[Footnote 156: _He_--imperative mood of _haber_.]

[Footnote 157: The _te_ is the "ethical dative" (which is much more used
in Spanish than in English).]

And in--

Tener razón: To be right.

And--

No tener razón _or_ Dejar de tener razón: To be wrong.

We said that the past participle when used with _Tener_ agrees with the
direct object, as--

Tengo leídas las cartas: I have read the letters.

But when there is no direct object, of course the past participle
remains invariable, as--

Tengo entendido que....[158]: I have heard that....

[Footnote 158: This use of _tener_ for _haber_, especially with no
direct obj. following is in general to be avoided; in this example,
however, "tengo entendido," the phrase has more force than "he
entendido." It implies that the mind is full with the effect of the
communication.]

+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| =Conocer= (to know)[159] |
| (changes _c_ into =zc= before _a_ or _o_). |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|_Pres. Indic._, conozco. |
|_Pres. Subj._, conozca-as-a-amos-áis-an. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| =Hacer= (to do or make). |
+--------------------+---------------------------------------------+
|_Past Part._, |Hecho. |
|_Pres. Indic._,|Hago. |
|_Past Def._, |Hice, hiciste, hizo, hicimos, hicisteis, hicieron.|
|_Fut. Indic._, |Haré, harás, hará, haremos, haréis, harán. |
|_Imp. Mood_, |Haz, haced (_reg._). |
+--------------------+---------------------------------------------+

[Footnote 159: Model verb for all those ending in _cer_ or _cir_
preceded by a vowel, except _cocer_ (conj. like _mover_), _mecer_
(_reg._) and _hacer_. (Those ending in _ducir_ are further irreg. in the
Past Definite.)

VOCABULARY.

=abrigar=, to shelter, to nourish (the hope)
=acciones preferentes=, preference shares
=agudo=, sharp, keen
=aplazar=, to postpone
=asistir=, to assist, to attend
=atendible=, plausible
=atrasado=, overdue
=caldos=, wines and oils (collectively)
=consabido=, in question, aforesaid
=cuenta de venta=, account sale
=dedicarse=, to devote oneself
=dejar sin efecto=, to cancel
=delicado de salud=, in indifferent health
=desfavorable, contrario=, unfavourable, adverse
=*deshacerse de=, to part with
=domicilio=, registered office of a company, also residence
=en este momento=, at the present moment
=ensayo=, trial, venture
=equidad=, fair dealing
=*haber menester=, to need
=indemnización=, indemnity
=junta de acreedores=, meeting of creditors
=liquidar=, to liquidate, to settle, to clear off goods, etc.
=mediería, artículos de punto=, hosiery
=pagaré=, promissory note, note of hand
=palacio=, palace
=plazo=, term
=respiro=, breath, breathing time, days of grace for payment, delay
=retirar=, to withdraw
(los) =reunidos=, those present
=*tener en cuenta=, to take into consideration
=trabajar, *ir, á porfía=, to vie with each other
=trámites de la ley=, legal means
=viaje de ida=, outward voyage
=viaje de vuelta=, inward voyage

EXERCISE 1 (53).

Translate into English--

1. Tengo que hacer hoy y no podré dedicarme á la correspondencia.

2. Si V. no quiere liquidar el consabido asunto tendré de apelar á los
trámites de la ley.

3. V. no habrá menester de tanto pues abrigo las mejores intenciones y
lo que pido es sólo unas pocas semanas de respiro.

4. He aquí pues lo que se ha de hacer, V. me firmará un pagaré para fin
de Febrero y queda entendido que no concederé después ninguna extensión
del plazo.

5. Si entonces V. no satisface su deuda mi abogado dará los pasos
necesarios y V. será responsable de (liable for) los gastos y perjuicios
habidos y por haber (damages accrued and to accrue).

6. La Compañía Nacional de Transportes (carriage) ha instalado su
domicilio en el nuevo Palacio de la Libertad.

7. Dicha Sociedad tiene un capital de un millón de pesetas; la mitad en
acciones preferentes y la mitad en ordinarias.

8. Se ha verificado la junta de acreedores del Sr.... á la cual no
asistió el principal interesado por encontrarse delicado de salud.

9. Los reunidos han decidido aplazar dicha junta hasta el 20 del
corriente.

10. Fundándose en atendibles razones nuestro corresponsal deja sin
efecto el pedido que nos había confiado.

EXERCISE 2 (54).

Translate into Spanish--

1. We shall have to take in the hosiery although it is slightly (un
poquito) overdue.

2. We have to give the example of fair dealing ourselves.

3. Who is to decide on the subject of the indemnity due to the captain
of the ship?

4. If we want to withdraw the goods without producing (presentar) a B/L.
we shall have to sign an indemnity (indemnidad).

5. We have received the account sale for our wines and oils and regret
the venture has not turned out as well as we expected.

6. We found a great difficulty in parting with our surplus (excesivas)
stock, of which we had to dispose (disponer) at prices very much
reduced.

7. We are unable to inform you to what extent (hasta qué punto) you may
calculate on (contar con) our remittance, as much will depend on
circumstances over which we have no control (independientes de nuestra
voluntad).

8. The rate (el tipo) of the insurance premium is 6/-per cent. on the
outward and 5/-per cent. on the homeward voyage.

9. I very much question the advisability (dudo mucho la ventaja) of
putting prices up at the present moment when so many adverse
circumstances have to be taken into consideration.

10. As a matter of fact (en efecto) most of us (la mayor parte de
nosotros) think it would be better to reduce them somewhat (algo) now
that competition is so keen.

11. They vie with each other in cutting prices down (reducir) with the
result that profits are ridiculously low (irrisorios).