Debí (en. I should have)

/deˈβi/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishSpanish

verb

Indicates obligation or necessity to do something.

I should have gone to the meeting, but I ran late.

Debí ir a la reunión, pero se me hizo tarde.

Used to express an action that had to be performed in the past.

I should have studied more for the exam.

Debí estudiar más para el examen.

Reflects a mistake or an omission in the past context.

I should have notified you about the change of plans.

Debí avisarte sobre el cambio de planes.

From Latin *debēre, meaning 'to owe' or 'debt'.

I should have done it.

Indicates that something should have been done in the past.

debí haberlo hecho

I should have gone.

Expresses absence from an event that one was aware of.

debí haber ido

I should have told you.

Refers to not having informed someone about something important.

debí decirte

duty

To have the obligation to do something.

deber

should

Conditional form of the verb to owe.

debería

to owe

To obligate oneself or another due to the situation.

deberse

Colloquial use of 'debí' to informally refer to past mistakes.

When I arrived, everything had already started. I should have arrived earlier.

Cuando llegué, ya había empezado todo. Debí llegar antes.

Used among friends to share experiences of regret.

I should have said I didn't want to go, but I went along with it.

Debí decir que no quería ir, pero me dejé llevar.