Deber Que: Expressing Duty and Moral Obligation in Spanish

SpanishGram

Have you ever wondered how to express moral obligations, strong recommendations, or things you “should” or “must” do in Spanish? While English uses modal verbs like “should,” “must,” or “ought to,” Spanish has a powerful and precise construction: Deber + Infinitive.

This essential construction expresses duty, moral obligation, or strong recommendations. Unlike “tener que” which focuses on external necessities, “deber” conveys a sense of moral responsibility or strong advice. In this complete guide, we’ll break down the formula, provide full conjugation charts across all tenses, and show you how to use this construction in authentic contexts.

What Does “Deber + Infinitive” Mean?

The phrase “Deber + [infinitive verb]” expresses moral obligation, duty, or strong recommendation. It’s equivalent to English “should,” “must,” or “ought to.”

The Core Formula:
Subject + Conjugation of "Deber" + Infinitive Verb

  • Debo estudiar más. (I should study more.)
  • Debes ser honesto. (You must be honest.)
  • Debemos ayudar a los demás. (We ought to help others.)

This construction carries a stronger moral weight than “tener que” and is used for giving advice, expressing duties, or stating what is right.

Complete Conjugation Patterns

Present Tense – Current Duties/Recommendations

PronounConjugationExampleEnglish
YodeboDebo estudiar másI should study more
debesDebes ser puntualYou should be punctual
Él/Ella/Ud.debeDebe decir la verdadHe/She should tell the truth
NosotrosdebemosDebemos respetar a todosWe should respect everyone
VosotrosdebéisDebéis practicar másYou all should practice more
Ellos/Uds.debenDeben ayudarThey should help

Preterite Tense – Past Obligations (Specific)

PronounConjugationExampleEnglish
YodebíDebí estudiar ayerI should have studied yesterday
debisteDebiste llamarmeYou should have called me
Él/Ella/Ud.debióDebió llegar tempranoHe/She should have arrived early
NosotrosdebimosDebimos ayudarlesWe should have helped them
VosotrosdebisteisDebisteis avisarnosYou all should have warned us
Ellos/Uds.debieronDebieron pagarThey should have paid

Imperfect Tense – Past Duties/General Advice

PronounConjugationExampleEnglish
YodebíaDebía estudiar cada díaI should study every day
debíasDebías ser más responsableYou should be more responsible
Él/Ella/Ud.debíaDebía trabajar menosHe/She should work less
NosotrosdebíamosDebíamos visitar a nuestros abuelosWe should visit our grandparents
VosotrosdebíaisDebíais practicar másYou all should practice more
Ellos/Uds.debíanDebían ayudar en casaThey should help at home

Future Tense – Future Duties

PronounConjugationExampleEnglish
YodeberéDeberé trabajar másI will have to work more
deberásDeberás estudiar medicinaYou will have to study medicine
Él/Ella/Ud.deberáDeberá mudarseHe/She will have to move
NosotrosdeberemosDeberemos ahorrar dineroWe will have to save money
VosotrosdeberéisDeberéis ser más cuidadososYou all will have to be more careful
Ellos/Uds.deberánDeberán cambiarThey will have to change

Conditional Tense – Conditional Obligations/Advice

PronounConjugationExampleEnglish
YodeberíaDebería descansar másI should rest more
deberíasDeberías llamar a tu madreYou should call your mother
Él/Ella/Ud.deberíaDebería ver a un médicoHe/She should see a doctor
NosotrosdeberíamosDeberíamos viajar másWe should travel more
VosotrosdeberíaisDeberíais practicar másYou all should practice more
Ellos/Uds.deberíanDeberían ser más amablesThey should be kinder

Real-Life Examples by Tense:

Present Tense:

  • Debo terminar mi tarea antes de salir. (I must finish my homework before going out.)
  • Debes ser más paciente con los niños. (You should be more patient with children.)
  • Los estudiantes deben respetar a sus profesores. (Students should respect their teachers.)

Past Tenses:

  • Debí estudiar más para el examen. (I should have studied more for the exam.) – Preterite
  • Debía visitar a mis abuelos cada semana. (I should visit my grandparents every week.) – Imperfect
  • Debimos llegar más temprano ayer. (We should have arrived earlier yesterday.) – Preterite

Future & Conditional:

  • Deberé trabajar más horas la próxima semana. (I will have to work more hours next week.)
  • Deberías practicar español todos los días. (You should practice Spanish every day.)
  • Deberíamos comer más saludable. (We should eat healthier.)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Confusing with “Deber de”: “Deber + infinitive” expresses obligation, while “deber de + infinitive” expresses probability or supposition.
    • Debe estar en casa. (He must be at home. – obligation)
    • Debe de estar en casa. (He must be at home. – probability)
  • Using “deber” for mild suggestions: For mild suggestions, use “sería bueno que” or the subjunctive instead.
  • Overusing preterite for regrets: While preterite can express regret, conditional is often more natural for “should have.”

Deber vs. Tener Que vs. Hay Que

Understanding the nuances between these obligation expressions is crucial:

  • Deber: Expresses moral obligation, duty, or strong recommendation
    • Debes decir la verdad. (You must tell the truth.)
  • Tener que: Expresses external necessity or obligation
    • Tengo que trabajar para ganar dinero. (I have to work to earn money.)
  • Hay que: Expresses general, impersonal obligation
    • Hay que respetar las leyes. (One must respect the laws.)

Test Your Knowledge

Ready for the quiz? Practice Deber Que with Real Examples

Master Other Essential Spanish Structures

“Deber” is just one of many key Spanish verb constructions. Deepen your knowledge with our other guides:

Conclusion:

Mastering “Deber + Infinitive” across all tenses is essential for expressing moral obligations, duties, and strong recommendations in Spanish. By understanding the nuances between different obligation expressions and practicing the conjugations of “deber” in present, past, future, and conditional forms, you’ll be able to give advice, express duties, and discuss moral responsibilities with precision. Incorporate this powerful construction into your Spanish practice to communicate with greater depth and authenticity!