Inklingo
← Dictionary

deberías

deh-beh-REE-ahs/de.βeˈɾi.as/

“deberías” means “you should” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

you should

Also: you ought to
VerbA2regular er
A friendly student pointing to an open textbook on a desk, encouraging another student to study or read.
infinitivedeber
gerunddebiendo
past Participledebido

📝 In Action

Deberías estudiar más para el examen.

A2

You should study more for the exam.

Creo que deberías llamar a tus padres.

A2

I think you should call your parents.

Deberías probar la paella, está increíble.

B1

You should try the paella, it's incredible.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • deberías + [verbo] – you should + [verb]

you must be

Also: you're probably, you should be... by now
VerbB1regular er
A person in work clothes is slumped over, yawning widely and looking extremely tired next to a pile of finished work, representing extreme exhaustion.
infinitivedeber
gerunddebiendo
past Participledebido

📝 In Action

Has trabajado todo el día, deberías estar agotado.

B1

You've worked all day, you must be exhausted.

Si saliste a las cinco, ya deberías estar en casa.

B1

If you left at five, you should be home by now.

Conoces la respuesta, ¿no? Deberías saberla.

B2

You know the answer, right? You should know it.

Word Connections

Synonyms

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/usteddebe
yodebo
túdebes
ellos/ellas/ustedesdeben
nosotrosdebemos
vosotrosdebéis

imperfect

él/ella/usteddebía
yodebía
túdebías
ellos/ellas/ustedesdebían
nosotrosdebíamos
vosotrosdebíais

preterite

él/ella/usteddebió
yodebí
túdebiste
ellos/ellas/ustedesdebieron
nosotrosdebimos
vosotrosdebisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/usteddeba
yodeba
túdebas
ellos/ellas/ustedesdeban
nosotrosdebamos
vosotrosdebáis

imperfect

él/ella/usteddebiera o debiese
yodebiera o debiese
túdebieras o debieses
ellos/ellas/ustedesdebieran o debiesen
nosotrosdebiéramos o debiésemos
vosotrosdebierais o debieseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "deberías" in Spanish:

you're probably→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: deberías

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'deberías' to make a logical guess, not to give advice?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
deber(to owe; to have to; a duty) — Verb, Noun
debido(due, proper) — Adjective
debido a(due to, because of) — Preposition
🎵 Rhymes▼
teníasdiríasharías
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin verb 'dēbēre', which meant 'to owe'. Over time, the sense of owing a debt expanded to include owing a duty or an obligation, which then softened into the modern meaning of giving advice.

First recorded: Around the 12th century.

Cognates (Related words)

English: debtFrench: devoirItalian: dovere

💡 Master Spanish

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'deberías' and 'tendrías que'?

'Deberías' is a soft suggestion, like 'you should'. 'Tendrías que' is a bit stronger, more like 'you would have to'. It implies a necessary step to achieve something, while 'deberías' is just friendly advice you can take or leave.

How do I say 'you should have...' for something in the past?

Great question! For past advice, you combine the verb 'haber' with 'deber'. You say 'deberías haber estudiado' which means 'you should have studied'. 'Deberías' stays the same, and the next verb changes.