debíamos
/deh-BEE-ah-mos/
we should
When we talk about a past obligation or moral duty, we use 'debíamos' meaning 'we should have' or 'we were supposed to.'
debíamos(Verb)
we should
?past obligation or moral duty
,we had to
?past necessity or expectation
we were supposed to
?past plan or expectation
📝 In Action
Debíamos estudiar para el examen de historia, pero vimos una película.
A2We were supposed to study for the history exam, but we watched a movie.
Cuando éramos niños, debíamos ayudar en la casa todos los sábados.
B1When we were children, we had to help around the house every Saturday.
Sentíamos que debíamos decir la verdad a nuestros padres.
B2We felt that we should tell the truth to our parents.
💡 Grammar Points
Imperfect Tense for Habit
The imperfect tense ('debíamos') is perfect for talking about obligations that were habitual or ongoing in the past, like duties you had every day or every week.
Obligation vs. Should Have
In Spanish, 'debíamos' can mean both 'we had to' (a strong obligation) and 'we should' (a recommendation or duty). Context helps you tell the difference.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using Preterite for Habit
Mistake: "Debimos ir al colegio todos los días."
Correction: Debíamos ir al colegio todos los días. ('Debíamos' (imperfect) is used because the obligation was repeated or habitual in the past.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Adding 'De'
If you want to express probability (like 'We must have arrived late'), it's often clearer to say 'Debimos de llegar tarde' (using the preterite, not imperfect, for a single past event).
'Debíamos' can also mean 'we owed,' referring to money or a financial debt that was due in the past.
debíamos(Verb)
we owed
?financial debt or money due
we were indebted
?formal financial context
📝 In Action
Hace un año, aún debíamos mil dólares al banco.
A2A year ago, we still owed a thousand dollars to the bank.
Siempre debíamos dinero a nuestros padres después de las vacaciones.
B1We always owed money to our parents after vacation.
💡 Grammar Points
Imperfect for State of Being
When talking about debt, the imperfect ('debíamos') describes a continuous state in the past—the fact that we had an outstanding debt for a period of time.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
imperfect
present
preterite
subjunctive
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: debíamos
Question 1 of 2
Which English phrase best captures the meaning of 'Debíamos visitarte cada semana'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'debíamos' and 'debimos'?
'Debíamos' (imperfect) is used for duties or debts that were ongoing, habitual, or expected over a period of time in the past ('We always had to clean'). 'Debimos' (preterite) is used for a single, completed obligation in the past ('We had to clean yesterday').
Why does 'deber' mean both 'to owe' and 'must/should'?
These two meanings come from the same root idea of being 'bound' or 'obligated.' Whether you are bound by a moral duty or a financial contract, the root verb 'deber' covers both types of obligation.