How does one say 'I should have had dinner
It doesn't sound correct to say - debia haber cenado, so what are the other choices ?- debia haber ?? tomado, or tenido la cena, any help would be welcome.
2 Answers
Should: debería
Have: haber
Had dinner (dined) : cenado
(Yo) Debería haber cenado. That should be fine, but let's wait for confirmation. 
I would not translate the word ''had'' in English into Spanish here. I think that it would be better to say:
Debería haber cenado = I should have dined
I have made a small correction after checking the answer with a native girl from Sevilla in Spain. I help teach her English and she helps to teach me Spanish. She told me that although debía haber cenado is correct in written form the Spanish people would say: debería haber cenado in normal daily life.to mean I should have dined/had dinner.
It is important to think what had represents in this context which would be eaten - translated as comido In Spanish It is essential to avoid translating word for word between languages especially Spanish but instead translate the idea or concept which means getting to the heart of what the English phrase really means .
You would use haber rather than tener in this kind of context/ in this way. Haber is the auxiliary verb and is normally used in compound constructions with other verbs.(except ''tener que'' constructions = to have to)
I hope this helps 
Corrijan mi Español, por favor
