debes
“debes” means “you must” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
you must, you have to
Also: you should, you ought to
📝 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.
you must be
Also: 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.
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.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: debes
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence is a guess, not a command?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'dēbēre', which meant 'to owe'. This was formed from 'de-' (from) and 'habēre' (to have). So, its original meaning was literally 'to have something from someone else'—which is exactly what a debt is!
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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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'.