Tengo que irme / Tengo que ir

[BobRitter]

¿Son mas o menos eguales?

Otra vez gracias a todos. Bob Ritter, Pensacola, Florida

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by BobRitter

¿Son más o menos iguales?

Tengo que irme. = I have to leave.
Tengo que ir. = I have to go.

I wouldn't say these mean the same thing.
One expresses that you intend to leave someone's presence, to go away.
The other expresses the idea of having to go somewhere.

Think in terms of focus.
With 'ir', the focus is on the destination.
With 'irse', the focus is on getting up and going, leaving the place you're at.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I agree with Rusty.

The verb "ir", by itself, needs a destination. When you say "tengo que ir", the person you're talking to already knows where you're going. But when you say "tengo que irme", the absence of destination and the fact that the verb seems to be working on the speaker, can only give an idea of leaving the place where you are.

[BobRitter]

Entiendo.
Tengo que ir al tienda. I need to go to the store.
Tengo que ir. Man, it's late, I gotta go.

Como siempre, gracias a todos. Bob

[aleCcowaN]

Me tengo que ir...

Man, it's late, I gotta go ---> ¡Qué tarde se hizo! Tengo que irme.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by BobRitter

Entiendo.
Tengo que ir a la tienda. I need to go to the store.
Tengo que irme. Man, it's late, I gotta go.

I think you meant to add the pronoun that Alec has pointed out.

[mwtzzz]

Me voy para China.
Voy a ir a China.

Tengo que irme: I gotta get myself going
Voy a ir a..... I'm going to go to ...

[ROBINDESBOIS]

Tengo que irme = kind of personal or external obligation
Tengo que ir = kind of intention or wish