deba
DEH-bah
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
No quiero que él deba trabajar el fin de semana.
B1I don't want him to have to work this weekend.
Es crucial que yo deba revisar los detalles antes de firmar.
B2It is crucial that I must review the details before signing.
Dudo que ella le deba una explicación.
B1I doubt that she owes him an explanation.
💡 Grammar Points
Subjunctive Trigger
You use 'deba' when the main part of the sentence expresses doubt, emotion, a wish, or a judgment about the obligation. For instance, after phrases like 'Es importante que...' (It is important that...).
Form Identity
'Deba' is the special form used for 'yo' (I), 'él/ella' (he/she/it), and 'usted' (you formal).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Subjunctive and Indicative
Mistake: "Using 'No creo que él debe ir' (I don't think he must go)."
Correction: The correct form is 'No creo que él deba ir.' When you express doubt ('No creo que...'), you must use the special verb form ('deba').
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with Impersonal Statements
If you start a sentence with a general opinion about necessity (like 'Es necesario que...'), the verb that follows must be 'deba' (or other subjunctive forms).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: deba
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'deba' to express doubt?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'deba' sound different from the regular 'debo' (I must)?
'Deba' is a special verb form (called the Subjunctive) used when you talk about wishes, doubts, emotions, or things that might not be real yet. The regular form 'debo' is used for facts or definite statements.
Is 'deba' only used for 'yo'?
No, 'deba' is also the form you use for 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), and 'usted' (you formal). You need to look at the context of the sentence to know who is doing the action.