debiste
deh-BEE-steh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Llegaste tarde. Debiste salir antes de casa.
B1You arrived late. You should have left home earlier.
Perdiste el autobús. Debiste revisar el horario.
B2You missed the bus. You should have checked the schedule.
Si tenías fiebre, debiste quedarte en cama.
B1If you had a fever, you were supposed to stay in bed.
💡 Grammar Points
Identifying 'Tú' Past Tense
The '-iste' ending always tells you that the action happened in the past, and that the subject is 'tú' (the informal 'you').
Past Advice vs. Past Obligation
While 'debiste' literally means 'you had to' (a factual necessity), in daily conversation, it's often used to give strong, critical advice about something that already happened: 'You should have done X.'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'debiste' (Preterite) with 'deberías' (Conditional)
Mistake: "Using 'debiste' when you mean 'you should' (present/future advice)."
Correction: Use 'deberías' (You should go now) for present advice, and 'debiste' (You should have gone then) only for past criticism.
⭐ Usage Tips
Softer Criticism
If you want to sound less critical, you can use the Conditional Perfect: 'Habrías debido ir' (You would have been obligated to go). But 'debiste' is faster and very common.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: debiste
Question 1 of 2
Which English phrase best captures the meaning of 'Debiste haber comido algo antes'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'debiste' stronger than 'deberías'?
Yes. 'Deberías' (you should) offers gentle advice for the present or future. 'Debiste' (you should have) judges a past action, often implying that a mistake was made.
How do I use 'debiste' with another verb?
It is always followed by another verb in its base form (the infinitive). Example: 'Debiste estudiar' (You should have studied).