debéis

/deh-BAYS/

you must

Two children standing side-by-side, carefully putting on bright yellow raincoats while large, cartoonish raindrops fall around them, illustrating necessity.

When there is an obligation or necessity, like putting on a coat in the rain, we use debéis (you must).

debéis(Verb (Conjugated Form))

A1regular er

you must

obligation or necessity (Spain informal plural)

you should

recommendation or advice (Spain informal plural)

Also:

you ought to

strong advice (Spain informal plural)

📝 In Action

Para entender la lección, debéis leer el capítulo dos.

To understand the lesson, you all must read chapter two.

Si estáis cansados, debéis tomar un descanso ahora mismo.

If you are tired, you should take a break right now.

Word Connections

Synonyms

tener que (to have to)
necesitar (to need)

Common Collocations

debéis saber – you must know
debéis recordar – you must remember

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'Debéis' for Recommendations

When 'deber' is used in the conditional form ('deberíais'), it softens the obligation, turning it into a strong suggestion or advice, similar to 'you really should' in English.

⭐ Usage Tips

Vosotros vs. Ustedes

'Debéis' uses the 'vosotros' form, which is standard for addressing multiple people informally in Spain. In most of Latin America, the 'ustedes' form ('deben') is used instead, even in informal settings.

Two small, friendly squirrel characters jointly handing a small stack of shiny gold coins to a helpful, smiling bear character, illustrating repayment of a debt.

When referring to financial debt, debéis means 'you owe'.

debéis(Verb (Conjugated Form))

B1regular er

you owe

financial debt (Spain informal plural)

Also:

you are indebted to

owing a favor or thanks (Spain informal plural)

📝 In Action

¿Cuánto dinero debéis todavía por el coche nuevo?

How much money do you all still owe for the new car?

Debéis una disculpa a vuestros padres por lo que hicisteis.

You all owe an apology to your parents for what you did.

Word Connections

Antonyms

pagar (to pay)
cobrar (to charge/collect)

💡 Grammar Points

Owe Money vs. Owe Action

When 'deber' means 'to owe,' the thing owed (money, an apology, a favor) is mentioned directly after the verb, usually without extra prepositions.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Obligation and Debt

Mistake: "Using 'Debéis ir dinero' (You must go money)."

Correction: The verb 'deber' is used alone for owing money: 'Debéis dinero.' For obligation, you must add the infinitive: 'Debéis ir' (You must go).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: debéis

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'debéis' to talk about owing money?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

deber(to owe; must) - verb

deuda(debt) - noun

debido(due, appropriate) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'debéis' used outside of Spain?

No. 'Debéis' is the second-person plural informal ('vosotros') form, which is almost exclusively used in Spain. In nearly all of Latin America, the equivalent is 'deben' (the 'ustedes' form).

How do I make the obligation stronger or weaker?

The present tense 'debéis' is a firm obligation ('must'). To make it a softer recommendation ('should'), you would use the conditional form: 'deberíais'.