Spanish Phrase
¿Tienes mucho que hacer hoy?
Meaning
The sentence asks whether the listener has a lot of tasks or obligations to attend to today. It implies curiosity about how busy the person’s schedule is.
When to use
Use this question in informal or semi‑formal conversations when you want to check if someone’s day is packed, for example before planning a meeting, inviting someone out, or simply making small talk about daily routines.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Tienesmuchoquehacerhoy?
Tienes (present of tener)
‘Tienes’ is the second‑person singular present of ‘tener’, used here to ask about possession or obligation.
mucho que + infinitive
The construction ‘mucho que + infinitive’ means ‘a lot to …’ and is idiomatic for expressing a heavy workload.
que (relative pronoun)
‘Que’ introduces the infinitive clause and functions like ‘that’ or ‘to’ in English.
hacer (infinitive)
‘Hacer’ is the infinitive form of the verb ‘to do/make’, used after ‘que’ in this pattern.
hoy (adverb of time)
‘Hoy’ simply means ‘today’ and places the question in the present day.
🗨In Conversation
¿Tienes mucho que hacer hoy?
Do you have a lot to do today?
Sí, tengo que terminar el informe y luego ir al gimnasio.
Yes, I have to finish the report and then go to the gym.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Tienes muchos que hacer hoy?
‘Muchos’ is a plural adjective; the idiom requires the singular ‘mucho’ because it modifies the infinitive phrase, not a noun.
¿Tienes mucho de hacer hoy?
The preposition ‘de’ is not used in this construction; the correct pattern is ‘mucho que + infinitive’.
¿Tienes mucho que haces hoy?
After ‘que’ you need the infinitive ‘hacer’, not the conjugated form ‘haces’.
↔Alternatives
¿Estás ocupado/a hoy?
Are you busy today?
¿Tienes mucho trabajo hoy?
Do you have a lot of work today?
¿Qué tienes planeado para hoy?
What do you have planned for today?
Cultural Tip
In most Spanish‑speaking countries it’s common to ask about someone’s day as a way of showing interest. Remember to match the level of formality: use ‘tienes’ with friends or peers, but switch to ‘¿Tiene mucho que hacer hoy?’ when speaking to strangers, elders, or in a professional setting. The phrase ‘mucho que hacer’ is idiomatic and sounds natural; avoid translating word‑for‑word from English.