Debíamos (en. We had to)

/deˈβja.mos/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishSpanish

verb

Indicates an obligation or duty in the past.

We should have studied more for the exam.

Debíamos estudiar más para el examen.

Expresses an action that was expected to be performed but was not carried out.

We should have gone to the party, but we stayed home.

Debíamos haber ido a la fiesta, pero nos quedamos en casa.

Refers to advice or recommendation in the past.

We should have listened to our parents' advice.

Debíamos haber escuchado los consejos de nuestros padres.

From Latin 'debere', which means 'to owe'.

we should have

Indicates something that should have been done in the past.

debíamos haber

we should take into account

Means that something should be considered.

debíamos tomar en cuenta

we should act responsibly

Expresses the need to act responsibly.

debíamos actuar con responsabilidad

duty

Obligation to do something.

deber

debtor

Person who owes a debt.

deudor

duties

Tasks or responsibilities that must be fulfilled.

deberes

In some colloquial contexts, it is used to indicate that something that should have been done was not done.

You didn't fulfill what we should have done, and now we're in trouble!

¡No cumpliste con lo que debíamos y ahora estamos en problemas!

It can be used to refer to the pressure to do something.

The teacher said we should turn in the project now.

La profesora dijo que debíamos entregar el proyecto ya.