Can somebody help me out. I'm translating some stuff and I'm getting confused, lol. Can't find the answer online, getting a headache, so I'm asking you native speakers.
It's this sentence. My gut says it has to be "there has to be" but it's about plural, 3 meters, so now I'm thinking "there have to be". But my gut says "No". I'm at a loss, guess I use slang too much. Help?

there has to be 3 meters in between your and your neighbour's camping devices.

I'm going for "have" but still feels odd :/

I'm thinking have because it's talking about 3 meters which is a plural object, but you can bypass the question by stating, it is necessary to have 3 meters...
Or 3 meters are required between...

Neither 'sounds' right because it's an awkward sentence structure. I'd reword it, like the other poster suggested.

Try either of these.

It is required that you have three meters between you and your neighbor'��s camping devices.

It is required you have three meters between yours and your neighbor'��s camping devices.

Required or necessary, whichever word works for you.

There must be 3 meters in between your and your neighbor's camping devices.

. there needs to be a minimum of 3 meters of separation.. between your's and your neighbors camping device

If sentence is changed, then is it there need to be or there needs to be....

I'd go with - there must be

Thank you all! Rephrasing is a tad awkward as the sentence is even longer than this. has "by law" and "concerning fire safety" in it as well.
But I'll see what I can do, after dinner that is.


Now that's a really great solution! Thank you, Missy!

Exactly, same problem!
Still not clear whether it has to be "has" or should be "have" :/ I should know, I'm an English teacher, lol, but I'm not teaching anymore, so I forgot most of the rules, And sometimes I just get stuck.

Needs, not need.


And there should be no 'in', just 'between'.


The original sentence should be 'have', but it makes it sound even more awkward.

Oh, and no apostrophe in 'yours' It's already possessive, it doesn't need to be more possessive.


lol...did I cover all the posts? It's the grammar OCD (it could be my grade school nuns' rulers raising their ugly heads) coming out in me. I usually try desperately to keep it in check.

What is the full sentence?

actually.. if I may suggest.. the correct phrasing should be...


" there must be at least 3 meters distance between your camping devices and those of your neighbors "

or dependent upon the context..

" there must be 3 meters distance between your camping devices and those of your neighbors "


if I may.. what devices are you referring to?

I'd go with: "Set your crap over three meters from your neighbor's crap.", but that's just me.

@ Zero, What camping devices, well that is another odd one. It should refer to tents, campers and caravans. They used a Dutch word to refer to them all. And even in Dutch that word is weird. Translates into 'camping device" or "camping means'. Doesn't really compute to me, whether in Dutch or English to be honest. So trying to make the best of a weird word, lol.

@ Lake, the full sentence should say that due to fire safety the tents/campers/caravans have to be 3 meters apart by law.
Ah, I think I just got my sentence, LOL

@ 1j9b6c5, I would prefer to do it Gordon Ramsey style myself, but I don't think that will go down well, lol

"There has to be a distance of 3 meters ..."

"There has to be a 3-meter distance ..."

What you are describing is distance and the word "distance" is singular.

For safety, a minimum separation distance of three meters is required between you and your neighbor's camping devices.

by george.. I do think you've got it!!


or perhaps:

due to fire safetyregulations, all tents, campers & caravans must be a minimum of 3 meters apart.

good luck


oops.. fergot a word

Hihi, we're getting somewhere here!

@ David, thank you for explaining! Clears that one up!


I'm sticking with Metalwings' sentence, has a nice official ring to it :) (added Zero's "fire safety regulations" to it )

Thank you all for your feedback and helping out! Mucho appreciated!

There have to be is the correct usage.
Good grammar can sound 'off' as it is not often used.

(Were you diagramming the sentence 'meters/has to be/'
simply is wrong :-)