Spanish Phrase
Tenemos que controlar bien los gastos.
Meaning
This sentence means 'We have to keep a good control of the expenses' or 'We must manage the expenses well.' It conveys a sense of responsibility, often in a budgeting or financial‑management context.
When to use
Use this phrase when discussing personal budgeting, household finances, or business cost‑control meetings. It’s common in both informal family conversations about money and formal workplace presentations about financial planning.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tenemosquecontrolarbienlosgastos
Obligation with 'tener que'
'Tener que' + infinitive expresses a necessity or obligation, similar to 'have to' in English.
Infinitive verb
'Controlar' remains in its infinitive form after 'tener que' and does not change for person or number.
Adverb placement
Adverbs like 'bien' usually go directly before the verb they modify, here before 'controlar'.
Definite article with nouns
'Los gastos' uses the masculine plural article 'los' to refer to specific expenses previously known.
🗨In Conversation
¿Cómo vamos con el presupuesto este mes?
How are we doing with the budget this month?
Tenemos que controlar bien los gastos para no exceder el límite.
We have to control the expenses well so we don’t exceed the limit.
✕Common Mistakes
Tenemos que controlar bien el gasto.
The noun should be plural because you’re referring to multiple expenses.
Tenemos que controlar bien los gasto.
Article and noun must agree in number and gender.
Tenemos que controlar los gastos bien.
Adverb 'bien' should precede the verb, not follow the object.
↔Alternatives
Debemos vigilar bien los gastos.
We must watch the expenses closely.
Hay que controlar los gastos cuidadosamente.
One must control the expenses carefully.
Es necesario controlar los gastos.
It is necessary to control the expenses.
Cultural Tip
Talking about money in Spanish‑speaking cultures can be more formal than in English. Phrases like 'controlar los gastos' are common in business meetings and family budgeting discussions, but avoid sounding overly casual; using 'tener que' or 'deber' adds a polite sense of duty. In some regions, 'gastos' may be replaced by 'costos' in a more technical or corporate setting.