using the past (imperfect) subjunctive for suggestions that "should have happened"

Question

So I think I have heard somewhere that you can use the past subjunctive to make a suggestion for something that "should have or should not have happened"

For example:

"No le hubieras dicho eso a ella." = "You shouldn't have said that to her."

"Le hubieras dicho eso a ella." = "You should have told that to her."

Would "(No) deberías haberle dicho eso a ella" carry the same weight?

Answer 1

Daniela says that "no debes haberle dicho eso a ella" = you shouldn't have said that to her. How, then, would one say "you weren't supposed to say that to here"?

You shouldn't have said that to her ...No deberías haberle dicho eso a ella.

You weren´t supposed to say that to her ... No debías haberle dicho eso a ella (the idea that "supposed to" is the same as past tense of "must").

Hubieras / deberías haber .. are allowed to be used interchangably when wanting to say should have, but like Obito, I prefer deberías in this case.

thank you - cmusba, Apr 2, 2016

Answer 2

Daniela says that "no debes haberle dicho eso a ella" = you shouldn't have said that to her. How, then, would one say "you weren't supposed to say that to here"?

"You shouldn't have said that to her" = No deberías haberle dicho eso a ella. | "You weren't supposed to say that to her" = No tenías que decirle eso a ella / No deberías haberle dicho eso a ella / Se suponía que no tenías que decirle eso a ella. - 0bito, Apr 3, 2016

Answer 3

I use the infinitive to convey that meaning you mention:

"No haberle dicho eso a ella." = "You shouldn't have said that to her."

"Haberle dicho eso a ella." = "You should have told that to her."

Answer 4

I really don't think so. There must be a subjunctive trigger, except for certain stock expressions like "Quisiera."

"No le hubieras dicho eso a ella." = "You shouldn't have said that to her."

This would be better stated as "No debes haberle dicho eso a ella."

And strangely enough that's practically a word for word agreement with English. (Except for the "redundant" 'le.')

I know there are some native speakers that use "debería(s)" when it's really not necessary. It's sort of a Spanish hyper-urbanism--like English "between you and I" which should be "between you and me."

thanks Daniela. I learned from my spanish professor that "deberia" is used more like a weak suggestion whereas "debe" is more obligatory. Basically "deberia" = should, "debe" = must - cmusba, Apr 2, 2016

in addition, I assumed that "huberia" was in the same camp as "quisiera". - cmusba, Apr 2, 2016