Regarding: "Debería haber ido al banco..."

Question

From Rosetta Stone:

"Debería haber ido al banco más temprano. Cerró a las 12 del mediodía."

Photo context: Man standing outside locked doors at a bank. The man, himself, is the one speaking.

My question concerns the use of the conditional tense "debería". In my amateur internet sleuthing, I read that the conditional tense can be thought of as the "hypothetical future" tense. However, in these sentences, it is the past that is being discussed.

Is the use of "debería" here correct? Is it okay to use the conditional tense to talk about the past? Would using the imperfect (debía) or perhaps the preterite (debí) been a better choice?

it's correct. - annierats, May 5, 2013

Answer 1

Debería haber venido al banco más temprano is how I would phrase it. The man is standing in front of the bank, which means he already left his home to go to the bank, and he has arrived at the bank. Hence, the verb that should be used to express his thoughts at his current location is to come (venir).

Answer 2

Right. I think it is correct.

In any event, to me, it should read:

Debiera haber ido al banco...

I should've come to the bank...

Edit: annierats wants me to use to go.... so I changed "venido" por "ido"

Gone, Chileno, gone.. - annierats, May 5, 2013

Come here / go there Annie - he is at the bank when speaking. - ian-hill, May 5, 2013

hahaha I know, I just use to come instead of to go, not in place of... see? ;) - chileno, May 5, 2013

Never maind, thanks Chileno, I think he means he should have gone, before he ran out of cash.. - annierats, May 28, 2013

Answer 3

Mixing up debería (should) with debiera (past subjunctive) is not uncommon in Latin America. It's just a mere change of the tonic syllable and small spelling variation, which does not create a lot of confusion because in the end people really get what they meant in the first place.

It confuses me Franco :) - ian-hill, May 5, 2013

Then remember to use debería for should and debiera in other cases. - francobollo, May 5, 2013

Answer 4

In my opinion it's correct. It's translation would be "I should've gone to the bank earlier". What chileno answered depends on the country because in my country we use debería.

That's what I said. ;) - chileno, May 5, 2013

ok - annierats, May 5, 2013

Answer 5

I should have gone to the bank earlier. Correcto.

If you use a site of learning, such as SD, Rosetta Stone etc. I think it's safe to assume that the writers of the program were competent. If not, l they wouldnot have survived for vey long.

Annie the speaker is at the bank still - so it should be come surely ? :) - ian-hill, May 5, 2013

It should be come.. I agree with Ian. - francobollo, May 5, 2013

Ok,ok, I don't mind nor care, as long as the bank machine spits out money.. - annierats, May 28, 2013