debes
/DEH-bess/
you must
The most common meaning of debes is expressing a strong obligation or necessity: you must or you have to.
debes(Verb)
you must
?strong obligation
,you have to
?necessity
you should
?giving advice
,you ought to
?moral duty
📝 In Action
Debes terminar la tarea antes de salir.
A1You must finish the homework before going out.
Si quieres aprender, debes practicar todos los días.
A2If you want to learn, you should practice every day.
Debes ser más amable con tu hermana.
B1You ought to be nicer to your sister.
💡 Grammar Points
Stating Obligations
To say someone 'must' or 'should' do something, use 'deber' followed by the action verb in its original '-ar', '-er', or '-ir' form. For example, 'Debes comer' (You must eat).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up 'debes' and 'tienes que'
Mistake: "Using them as if they are exactly the same in all situations."
Correction: 'Debes' often implies a moral duty or strong advice ('You should be honest'). 'Tienes que' points to a more practical necessity or rule ('You have to buy a ticket'). In many cases, though, you can use either one.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal vs. Informal 'You'
'Debes' is used when talking to one person you know well (the 'tú' form). When speaking to someone formally, an older person, or a boss, use 'debe'.
Debes can also be used to express a logical assumption or probability, meaning you must be or you are probably.
📝 In Action
Has viajado todo el día, debes estar agotado.
B1You've traveled all day, you must be exhausted.
Ese restaurante siempre está lleno, la comida debe ser buena.
B1That restaurant is always full, the food must be good.
💡 Grammar Points
Making a Guess
When you use 'deber' to guess something, it works just like when you state an obligation: 'deber' + the original verb form. For example, 'Debes tener frío' (You must be cold).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Adding 'de'
Mistake: "Debes de estar cansado."
Correction: Debes estar cansado. While technically 'deber de' is for probability and 'deber' is for obligation, most native speakers drop the 'de' nowadays. Context makes the meaning clear.
⭐ Usage Tips
Listen to the Context
To know if 'debes' means 'you must do' or 'you must be', listen to the situation. If it's advice or a rule, it's an obligation. If it's a logical conclusion, it's a guess.
When referring to financial or moral debt, debes translates to you owe.
📝 In Action
Me debes diez euros desde la semana pasada.
A2You've owed me ten euros since last week.
No solo me debes dinero, me debes una disculpa.
B1You don't just owe me money, you owe me an apology.
💡 Grammar Points
Who You Owe
This meaning often uses little words like 'me' (to me), 'le' (to him/her), or 'nos' (to us) to show who is owed. For example, 'Le debes respeto' (You owe him/her respect).
⭐ Usage Tips
More Than Money
Remember that you can 'owe' more than just money. This word is perfect for talking about favors, explanations, apologies, and respect.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: debes
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence is a guess, not a command?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the real difference between 'debes' and 'tienes que'?
Think of it this way: 'debes' is often about a moral duty or strong advice from the speaker ('You should be kind'). 'Tienes que' is more about an external rule or a practical need ('You have to wear a helmet'). In everyday conversation, people often use them interchangeably, but this small difference in feeling exists.
How do I say 'you should have...' to talk about the past?
For that, you use a different form: 'debiste' or 'deberías haber'. For example, 'Debiste estudiar más' or 'Deberías haber estudiado más' both mean 'You should have studied more'.