Spanish Deber Explained: Must, Should, Owe, And Probably
The Spanish verb deber looks tiny and innocent. Adorable, even. Then it turns around and means must, should, owe, and must be/probably. Rude, but manageable.
By the end of this guide, you’ll know the main patterns, the common traps, and how to use deber in real-life Spanish without sounding like a grammar textbook wearing a fake mustache.
The Fast Answer
Deber is a regular Spanish verb. The meaning changes depending on what comes after it.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| deber + infinitive | must, should, ought to | Debo estudiar. = I must/should study. |
| debería + infinitive | should | Deberías descansar. = You should rest. |
| deber de + infinitive | must be, probably | Debe de estar ocupado. = He must be busy. |
| deber + noun | to owe | Te debo dinero. = I owe you money. |
| el deber | duty, homework | Es mi deber. = It’s my duty. |
How To Conjugate Deber In The Present
Good news: deber is a regular -er verb. No weird stem change. No dramatic vowel costume change. A tiny grammar mercy.
| Spanish | English Meaning | Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo debo | I must, I should, I owe | Yo debo salir temprano. I must leave early. | Yo debo estudiar más. I should study more. | Yo te debo cien pesos. I owe you 100 pesos. |
| tú debes | you must, you should, you owe | Tú debes llamar a tu mamá. You should call your mom. | Debes llegar a tiempo. You must arrive on time. | Me debes una disculpa. You owe me an apology. |
| él/ella/usted debe | he/she/you formal must, should, owes | Ella debe trabajar hoy. She must work today. | Usted debe firmar aquí. You must sign here. | Él debe dinero. He owes money. |
| nosotros debemos | we must, we should, we owe | Debemos practicar español. We should practice Spanish. | Debemos pagar la cuenta. We must pay the bill. | Te debemos un favor. We owe you a favor. |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes deben | they/you all must, should, owe | Ellos deben esperar. They must wait. | Ustedes deben escuchar. You all should listen. | Ellas deben mucho. They owe a lot. |
Yak Box: The One Pattern To Memorize First
deber + infinitive = someone must or should do something.
Debo comer. = I must eat. / I should eat.
The second verb stays in the infinitive: comer, trabajar, estudiar, salir. Do not conjugate both verbs unless you enjoy making Spanish teachers twitch.
Deber + Infinitive: Must, Should, Or Ought To
Use deber + infinitive when someone has an obligation, responsibility, or strong recommendation.
Infinitive means the plain verb form, like hablar = to speak, comer = to eat, and vivir = to live.
| Spanish | English Meaning | Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| debo trabajar | I must/should work | Debo trabajar mañana. I must work tomorrow. | Debo trabajar menos. I should work less. | Debo trabajar en mi español. I should work on my Spanish. |
| debes escuchar | you must/should listen | Debes escuchar con atención. You should listen carefully. | Debes escuchar al doctor. You must listen to the doctor. | Debes escuchar esta canción. You should listen to this song. |
| debe esperar | he/she/you formal must wait | Debe esperar aquí. You must wait here. | Ella debe esperar su turno. She should wait her turn. | Él debe esperar afuera. He must wait outside. |
| debemos practicar | we must/should practice | Debemos practicar todos los días. We should practice every day. | Debemos practicar la pronunciación. We must practice pronunciation. | Debemos practicar con calma. We should practice calmly. |
| deben pagar | they/you all must pay | Ustedes deben pagar en la caja. You all must pay at the register. | Ellos deben pagar hoy. They must pay today. | Deben pagar antes de salir. They must pay before leaving. |
Rule → Example
Rule: Conjugate deber, then add the next verb in the infinitive.
Correct: Debo estudiar. = I must study.
Not great: Debo estudio. = I must I study. That sentence has two drivers and no steering wheel.
Debería + Infinitive: Should
Use debería when you want to say should in a softer way. It feels more like advice than a command.
Debes estudiar. = You must/should study. Stronger.
Deberías estudiar. = You should study. Softer. Still true. Still annoying if you were trying to avoid studying.
| Spanish | English Meaning | Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo debería | I should | Yo debería dormir más. I should sleep more. | Debería ahorrar dinero. I should save money. | Debería pedir ayuda. I should ask for help. |
| tú deberías | you should | Deberías comer algo. You should eat something. | Deberías tomar agua. You should drink water. | Deberías practicar hoy. You should practice today. |
| él/ella/usted debería | he/she/you formal should | Ella debería descansar. She should rest. | Usted debería revisar el correo. You should check the email. | Él debería llegar pronto. He should arrive soon. |
| nosotros deberíamos | we should | Deberíamos salir temprano. We should leave early. | Deberíamos hablar con ella. We should talk to her. | Deberíamos comprar boletos. We should buy tickets. |
| ustedes deberían | you all should | Ustedes deberían venir. You all should come. | Deberían tener cuidado. You all should be careful. | Deberían probar estos tacos. You all should try these tacos. |
Deber De + Infinitive: Must Be, Probably, I Guess
Use deber de + infinitive when you are making a strong guess. It means something like must be, must have, or probably.
Debe de estar ocupado. = He must be busy. / He is probably busy.
This is not obligation. Nobody is forcing him to be busy. He just has the vibe of a person being eaten alive by emails.
| Spanish | English Meaning | Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| debe de estar | he/she/it must be, is probably | Debe de estar cansado. He must be tired. | Debe de estar en casa. She is probably at home. | Debe de estar cerrado. It must be closed. |
| deben de ser | they must be, they are probably | Deben de ser turistas. They must be tourists. | Deben de ser nuevos. They are probably new. | Deben de ser amigos. They must be friends. |
| debe de tener | he/she/it must have, probably has | Debe de tener hambre. He must be hungry. | Debe de tener unos treinta años. She must be about 30. | Debe de tener el número. He probably has the number. |
| deben de vivir | they must live, probably live | Deben de vivir cerca. They probably live nearby. | Deben de vivir juntos. They must live together. | Deben de vivir en México. They probably live in Mexico. |
| debe de costar | it must cost, probably costs | Debe de costar mucho. It must cost a lot. | Debe de costar quinientos pesos. It probably costs 500 pesos. | Debe de costar menos en línea. It probably costs less online. |
Tiny Warning: Deber And Deber De Can Overlap
In everyday Spanish, people often use deber + infinitive for probability too, especially when the meaning is clear from context.
Debe estar cansado. can mean He must be tired as a guess.
Still, as a learner, use deber de + infinitive for probability. It keeps your sentence cleaner and helps avoid confusion. Clean Spanish. Clean yak. Clean conscience.
Deber + Noun: To Owe
When deber is followed by a noun, it often means to owe. This can mean owing money, a favor, an explanation, or an apology.
| Spanish | English Meaning | Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| deber dinero | to owe money | Debo dinero. I owe money. | Él debe mucho dinero. He owes a lot of money. | No quiero deber dinero. I don’t want to owe money. |
| te debo | I owe you | Te debo veinte pesos. I owe you 20 pesos. | Te debo una disculpa. I owe you an apology. | Te debo un café. I owe you a coffee. |
| me debes | you owe me | Me debes una explicación. You owe me an explanation. | Me debes cinco pesos. You owe me five pesos. | Me debes una llamada. You owe me a call. |
| le debo | I owe him/her/you formal | Le debo una respuesta. I owe him/her an answer. | Le debo respeto. I owe you respect. | Le debo mucho. I owe him/her a lot. |
| nos deben | they owe us | Nos deben dinero. They owe us money. | Nos deben una disculpa. They owe us an apology. | Nos deben el depósito. They owe us the deposit. |
El Deber: Duty Or Homework
As a noun, el deber means duty or obligation. In many places, los deberes can mean homework, though in Mexico you will very commonly hear la tarea for homework.
| Spanish | English Meaning | Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| el deber | duty, obligation | Es mi deber ayudarte. It is my duty to help you. | Cumplí con mi deber. I fulfilled my duty. | Tenemos un deber. We have a duty. |
| los deberes | duties; homework in some regions | Tengo muchos deberes. I have many duties/homework assignments. | Los deberes son importantes. Duties are important. | Hice mis deberes. I did my homework/duties. |
| la tarea | homework, task | Tengo tarea. I have homework. | Hice la tarea. I did the homework. | La tarea es fácil. The homework is easy. |
Deber Vs Tener Que Vs Hay Que
Spanish has several ways to talk about obligation. They overlap, but they do not feel exactly the same.
| Pattern | Best English Meaning | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| deber + infinitive | must, should, ought to | Duty, responsibility, advice | Debo estudiar. I must/should study. |
| tener que + infinitive | to have to | Practical need, external pressure | Tengo que estudiar. I have to study. |
| hay que + infinitive | one must, it is necessary to | General rule, no specific person | Hay que estudiar. One has to study. / Studying is necessary. |
| se debe + infinitive | one must, people should | Formal or general obligation | Se debe respetar a los demás. People should respect others. |
In everyday conversation, tener que is extremely common. Deber can sound a bit more serious, moral, official, or advice-like depending on the sentence.
Deber
Debo decir la verdad.
I must tell the truth. This sounds like duty, honesty, or responsibility. A tiny courtroom appears in the background.
Tener Que
Tengo que ir al banco.
I have to go to the bank. This sounds practical. Maybe annoying. Very adult. Zero confetti.
Hay Que
Hay que limpiar la cocina.
The kitchen has to be cleaned. This avoids naming the guilty party. A diplomatic masterpiece.
How To Say “Should Have” With Deber
To talk about regret, use debí, debiste, debió, and so on, often with an infinitive or with haber + participle.
Both patterns are useful:
- Debí estudiar. = I should have studied.
- Debí haber estudiado. = I should have studied.
The version with haber + participle can sound a little fuller and clearer, especially when you want to emphasize regret.
| Spanish | English Meaning | Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| debí estudiar | I should have studied | Debí estudiar más. I should have studied more. | Debí estudiar antes. I should have studied earlier. | Debí estudiar para el examen. I should have studied for the exam. |
| debiste llamar | you should have called | Debiste llamar ayer. You should have called yesterday. | Debiste llamar a tu papá. You should have called your dad. | Debiste llamar primero. You should have called first. |
| debió decir | he/she/you formal should have said | Ella debió decir la verdad. She should have told the truth. | Él debió decir algo. He should have said something. | Usted debió decirme. You should have told me. |
| debimos salir | we should have left | Debimos salir temprano. We should have left early. | Debimos salir juntos. We should have left together. | Debimos salir antes de la lluvia. We should have left before the rain. |
| debieron esperar | they should have waited | Debieron esperar aquí. They should have waited here. | Ustedes debieron esperar más. You all should have waited longer. | Debieron esperar la respuesta. They should have waited for the answer. |
Useful Real-Life Sentences With Deber
Here are practical sentences you can actually use, not sentences about the philosopher’s umbrella or a penguin’s moral responsibility. You’re welcome.
| Spanish | English Meaning | Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debo irme. | I must go. / I should leave. | Debo irme ya. I must go now. | Debo irme temprano. I should leave early. | Debo irme antes de las ocho. I must leave before eight. |
| Debes tener cuidado. | You should be careful. | Debes tener cuidado aquí. You should be careful here. | Debes tener cuidado con el perro. You should be careful with the dog. | Debes tener cuidado en la calle. You should be careful in the street. |
| No debes hacer eso. | You shouldn’t do that. | No debes hacer eso ahora. You shouldn’t do that now. | No debes hacer eso solo. You shouldn’t do that alone. | No debes hacer eso otra vez. You shouldn’t do that again. |
| Deberíamos hablar. | We should talk. | Deberíamos hablar hoy. We should talk today. | Deberíamos hablar en privado. We should talk privately. | Deberíamos hablar con calma. We should talk calmly. |
| Deberías probarlo. | You should try it. | Deberías probarlo con limón. You should try it with lime. | Deberías probarlo primero. You should try it first. | Deberías probarlo en este restaurante. You should try it at this restaurant. |
| Debe de ser caro. | It must be expensive. | Ese coche debe de ser caro. That car must be expensive. | La renta debe de ser cara. The rent must be expensive. | Ese celular debe de ser caro. That phone must be expensive. |
| Debe de estar ocupado. | He/she/you formal must be busy. | Juan debe de estar ocupado. Juan must be busy. | La doctora debe de estar ocupada. The doctor must be busy. | Mi jefe debe de estar ocupado. My boss must be busy. |
| Te debo una. | I owe you one. | Gracias, te debo una. Thanks, I owe you one. | Me ayudaste mucho; te debo una. You helped me a lot; I owe you one. | Te debo una por esto. I owe you one for this. |
| Me debes una explicación. | You owe me an explanation. | Me debes una explicación clara. You owe me a clear explanation. | Después de eso, me debes una explicación. After that, you owe me an explanation. | Me debes una explicación, amigo. You owe me an explanation, friend. |
| Hay que hacerlo. | It has to be done. | Hay que hacerlo hoy. It has to be done today. | Hay que hacerlo bien. It has to be done well. | Hay que hacerlo con cuidado. It has to be done carefully. |
| Se debe respetar. | One must respect. / It should be respected. | Se debe respetar la ley. The law must be respected. | Se debe respetar el horario. The schedule should be respected. | Se debe respetar a todos. Everyone should be respected. |
| Debí decirte. | I should have told you. | Debí decirte antes. I should have told you earlier. | Debí decirte la verdad. I should have told you the truth. | Debí decirte desde el principio. I should have told you from the beginning. |
Negative Sentences With Deber
Put no before deber to say someone should not or must not do something.
| Spanish | English Meaning | Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no debo | I should not, I must not | No debo comer tanto pan. I shouldn’t eat so much bread. | No debo llegar tarde. I must not arrive late. | No debo mentir. I should not lie. |
| no debes | you should not, you must not | No debes manejar cansado. You shouldn’t drive tired. | No debes gritar. You shouldn’t yell. | No debes preocuparte tanto. You shouldn’t worry so much. |
| no debería | he/she/I/you formal should not | No debería llover hoy. It shouldn’t rain today. | No debería ser difícil. It shouldn’t be difficult. | No debería tardar mucho. It shouldn’t take long. |
| no deberíamos | we should not | No deberíamos pelear. We shouldn’t fight. | No deberíamos gastar tanto. We shouldn’t spend so much. | No deberíamos esperar más. We shouldn’t wait longer. |
| no deben | they/you all should not, must not | No deben entrar aquí. You all must not enter here. | No deben tocar eso. They shouldn’t touch that. | No deben olvidar sus llaves. You all shouldn’t forget your keys. |
Questions With Deber
To ask what someone should do, use deber or debería. In friendly conversation, debería often sounds more natural because you are asking for advice, not requesting a royal decree.
| Spanish | English Meaning | Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¿Qué debo hacer? | What should I do? | ¿Qué debo hacer ahora? What should I do now? | ¿Qué debo hacer con esto? What should I do with this? | ¿Qué debo hacer si pasa otra vez? What should I do if it happens again? |
| ¿Qué debería hacer? | What should I do? | ¿Qué debería hacer primero? What should I do first? | ¿Qué debería hacer mañana? What should I do tomorrow? | ¿Qué debería hacer en esta situación? What should I do in this situation? |
| ¿Debo pagar aquí? | Should I pay here? | ¿Debo pagar aquí o allá? Should I pay here or there? | ¿Debo pagar en efectivo? Should I pay in cash? | ¿Debo pagar antes? Should I pay before? |
| ¿Deberíamos esperar? | Should we wait? | ¿Deberíamos esperar afuera? Should we wait outside? | ¿Deberíamos esperar a Ana? Should we wait for Ana? | ¿Deberíamos esperar un poco más? Should we wait a little longer? |
| ¿Cuánto te debo? | How much do I owe you? | ¿Cuánto te debo por la comida? How much do I owe you for the food? | ¿Cuánto te debo por el taxi? How much do I owe you for the taxi? | ¿Cuánto te debo en total? How much do I owe you in total? |
Common Mistakes And Easy Fixes
| Mistake | Why It Sounds Off | Better Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Debo estudio. | You conjugated both verbs. | Debo estudiar. I must study. |
| Debo de pagar la cuenta. | With de, it sounds like a guess: “I probably pay the bill.” Awkward little goblin sentence. | Debo pagar la cuenta. I must pay the bill. |
| Debe ser aquí when you mean obligation | This can sound like “It must be here” as a guess. | Debe estar aquí a las ocho. He/she must be here at eight. |
| Tengo deber ir. | You mixed tener que and deber. | Tengo que ir. I have to go. Debo ir. I must go. |
| Me debo dinero. | This means you owe yourself money, which is a bold financial strategy. | Te debo dinero. I owe you money. Debo dinero. I owe money. |
Practice: Choose The Right Deber Pattern
Pick the best Spanish sentence. Answers are right below, because suspense is fun only in movies and possibly tacos.
I must study tonight.
Debo estudiar esta noche.
Use debo + infinitive for obligation.
You should rest.
Deberías descansar.
Use deberías + infinitive for friendly advice.
She must be tired.
Debe de estar cansada.
Use deber de + infinitive for probability.
I owe you a coffee.
Te debo un café.
Use deber + noun for owing something.
We should have left earlier.
Debimos salir antes.
You can also say Debimos haber salido antes. Both express regret.
Quick Reference Summary
- Deber + infinitive = must, should, ought to. Debo estudiar. = I must/should study.
- Debería + infinitive = should, softer advice. Deberías descansar. = You should rest.
- Deber de + infinitive = must be, probably. Debe de estar ocupado. = He must be busy.
- Deber + noun = to owe. Te debo dinero. = I owe you money.
- El deber = duty. Es mi deber. = It is my duty.
- Hay que + infinitive = general obligation. Hay que practicar. = One has to practice.
Final Yak
When you see deber, do not panic. Ask one simple question: what comes after it?
If an infinitive comes next, you probably have must or should. If you see de before the infinitive, you probably have a guess. If a noun comes next, someone owes something. And if someone owes you tacos, Spanish grammar has officially become useful.
