Debiamos (en. We should)

/deˈβjamos/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishSpanish

verb

To express obligation or duty in the past.

We should have gone to the meeting, but we couldn’t.

Debíamos ir a la reunión, pero no pudimos.

To indicate that something was necessary or expected in the past.

We should have studied more for the exam.

Debíamos estudiar más para el examen.

Used to express advice or suggestion in the past.

We should have taken a taxi instead of walking.

Debíamos haber tomado un taxi en lugar de caminar.

From Latin debere, meaning 'to owe' or 'to have to'.

we should have

Expresses an obligation or duty that should have been fulfilled in the past.

debíamos de haber

we should have gone

Indicates that it was necessary to go to a place or event that was not fulfilled.

debíamos haber ido

we should wait

Means that it was necessary to wait in a given situation.

debíamos esperar

duty

Verb that indicates obligation.

deber

duties

Tasks or obligations that must be carried out.

deberes

debit

Record of a withdrawal of money from an account.

debit

Used in the context of an unfulfilled obligation.

If we didn't go, it's because we should have been elsewhere.

Si no fuimos, es que debíamos estar en otra parte.

Can indicate advice given that was not followed in the past.

You and I should have listened to that person.

Tú y yo debíamos haber escuchado a esa persona.