Spanish Phrase
Los dueños tienen que mantener las viviendas seguras.
Meaning
The sentence states that owners are obligated to keep the houses they rent out safe for their tenants. It emphasizes a duty rather than a suggestion.
When to use
Use this phrase when discussing landlord responsibilities, safety regulations, or when reminding property owners about their legal obligations to provide secure housing.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Losdueñostienenquemantenerlasviviendasseguras
Definite article (Los)
Los is the masculine plural definite article, used before plural nouns that are masculine or mixed gender.
Noun (dueños)
Dueños means ‘owners’; it is a masculine plural noun that agrees with the article Los.
Periphrastic modal (tener que + infinitive)
Tener que + infinitive expresses obligation, similar to ‘must’ or ‘have to’ in English.
Infinitive (mantener)
Mantener is the infinitive form of the verb ‘to keep/maintain’ and follows the modal construction.
Noun phrase (las viviendas)
Las is the feminine plural article; viviendas (houses, dwellings) is a feminine plural noun.
Adjective agreement (seguras)
Seguras is the feminine plural form of the adjective ‘safe’, matching viviendas in gender and number.
🗨In Conversation
¿Sabes por qué el inquilino está preocupado?
Do you know why the tenant is worried?
Sí, los dueños tienen que mantener las viviendas seguras, pero no han revisado las cerraduras.
Yes, the owners have to keep the homes safe, but they haven't checked the locks.
✕Common Mistakes
Los dueños tienen que mantener las viviendas seguro.
The adjective must agree in gender and number with viviendas; use seguras, not seguro.
Los dueños tienen que mantengan las viviendas seguras.
After ‘tener que’ the verb stays in infinitive, not conjugated.
Los dueños debe mantener las viviendas seguras.
Subject‑verb agreement: ‘dueños’ is plural, so the verb must be ‘tienen’, not ‘debe’.
↔Alternatives
Los propietarios deben asegurar que las casas estén seguras.
The property owners must ensure that the houses are safe.
Es obligación de los dueños mantener las viviendas en buen estado de seguridad.
It is the owners' obligation to keep the homes in good safety condition.
Los arrendadores tienen que garantizar la seguridad de las viviendas.
Landlords have to guarantee the safety of the homes.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, housing law obliges landlords to provide safe, habitable dwellings. Failure to do so can lead to legal penalties or tenant‑initiated eviction. When speaking about these duties, use formal language (e.g., ‘deben’, ‘tienen que’) to convey seriousness.