Can no debí lastimarte

Question

Can no debí lastimarte mean "I didn't mean to hurt you" AKA No quise lastimarte or does it have to mean "I shouldn't have hurt you"? seems like "I didn't mean to hurt you" in this movie.

Gracias

Answer 1

Por los resultados que he encontrado por Google, creo que más bien quiere decir 'I shouldn't have hurt you.'

no debí lastimarte

¿Qué te parece?

• excelente:) - Heidita Jan 22, 2012

Answer 2

I can´t explain the grammar, but "shouldn´t" is thought of in imperfecto because the "hurt" part is thought of as an action in preterito. So in this case, it would be "No te debería haber lastimado" or "No debería haberte lastimado."

"No quise lastimarte" works as well, but the nuance is slightly different - focusing on the exact moment of the mistake in judgement as opposed to the hurting as the result of the bad judgement.

• Not to worry, the grammar just restates what you wrote in a more convoluted form. ;) - territurtle Jan 22, 2012

Answer 3

"No debí lastmarte", to me, means just and exactly "I should not have hurt you".

• me too - jeezzle Jan 22, 2012