deber

=

to have to do something

verb

deber
masculine noun
1. duty (obligación)
  • los derechos y los deberes de los ciudadanos -> citizens' rights and duties
also:
  • deberes -> homework (trabajo escolar)
  • hacer los deberes -> to do one's homework
transitive verb
2. to owe (adeudar)
  • deber algo a alguien -> to owe somebody something, to owe something to somebody
  • ¿qué o cuánto le debo? -> how much is it?
intransitive verb
3. (+ infinitivo)
  • debo hacerlo -> I have to do it, I must do it
  • debes dominar tus impulsos -> you must o should control your impulses
  • deberían abolir esa ley -> they ought to o should abolish that law
  • no deberías fumar tanto -> you shouldn't smoke so much
4. (expresa posibilidad)
  • deben de ser las diez -> it must be ten o'clock
  • no debe de ser muy mayor -> she can't be very old
deberse a
pronomial verb
1. to be due to (ser consecuencia de)
  • y eso, ¿a qué se debe? -> and what's the reason for that?
2. to have a responsibility toward (dedicarse a)

Copyright © 2006 Chambers Harrap Publishers Limited

deber [day-berr']
noun
1. Obligation, duty. (m)
2. Debt. (m)
  • Hacer su deber -> to fulfil one’s duty
article & verb transitive
1. To owe, not to pay a debt which is due.
  • Me debes cinco dólares -> you owe me five dollars
  • Esto lo debe a la influencia francesa -> he owes this to French influence
verb neuter
2. To be obliged to, to be to, must, ought, would, have to. (n)
  • Debía ser -> must have been
  • Deber de -> must
  • Debo hacerlo -> I must do it
  • He debido perderlo -> I must have lost it
  • Debe de ser así -> it must be like that
  • No debe de ser muy caro -> it can’t be very dear
verb reflexive
  • Deberse a -> to be owing to
  • Se debe al mal tiempo -> it’s on account of the bad weather
  • Puede deberse a que ->
., it may be because....

Velazquez® Spanish and English Dictionary. Copyright © 2007 by Velazquez® Press. All rights reserved.

Verb Conjugation for "deber"

Infinitive
deber
Gerund
debiendo
Participle
debido
Presente Pretérito Imperfect Futuro Subjuntivo
Yo debo debí debía deberé deba
Tú debes debiste debías deberás debas
Ella/Él/Usted debe debió debía deberá deba
Nosotros debemos debimos debíamos deberemos debamos
Vosotros debéis debisteis debíais deberéis debáis
Ellos/Ustedes deben debieron debían deberán deban
Complete deber conjugation

"deber" in the Answers forum
Q: deber or tener que?
A: > I have heard some native speakers say something to the effect of "Debes de estar estudiando" Is there much of a difference between that and "Debes estudiar"?…
Q: what is the difference between the three verbs, hacer, tener, and deber?
A: Hacer : To HAVE to do something. Tengo que hacer algo...I have to do something( I would use this to espress something that I abslolutely have to do) Deber…
Q: tener and deber
A: I was taught the "tener que" meant "you HAVE to" (little chioice involved) while deber meant "should or ought to" (less obligatory). Then there is Hay…
Q: deber de hacer
A: Debiste haberlo visto. (Creo) You must have seen it.
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