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How to Say "must be" in Spanish

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deber

deh-BEHRdeˈβeɾ

verbB1
Use 'deber' when expressing a strong probability or making a conjecture about a singular subject or a general situation.
A curious fox holding a magnifying glass and looking thoughtfully at a large pile of colorful feathers scattered on the ground, suggesting a strong probability of something having happened there.

Examples

El tren debe de llegar pronto; ya son las tres.

The train must be arriving soon; it is already three o'clock.

Ella debe de estar enferma, no ha venido a trabajar.

She must be sick; she hasn't come to work.

Debe de haber un error en esta cuenta.

There must be an error in this bill.

Guessing vs. Requiring

Traditionally, adding the little word 'de' after 'deber' changes the meaning from 'you have to' (obligation) to 'I assume/it must be' (a guess).

Overusing the Preposition 'De'

Mistake: “Using 'de' for obligations (e.g., 'Debo de estudiar').”

Correction: Only use 'de' when you are making a strong guess or assumption. For duties, skip the 'de'.

será

seh-RAHseˈɾa

verbB1
Use 'será' (future tense of 'ser') when making a guess or a deduction about a specific person or thing, often in response to a question.
A person looking at a closed door with light coming from underneath, guessing who might be inside.

Examples

¿Quién llama a esta hora? Será mi madre.

Who's calling at this hour? It must be my mother.

No sé qué hora es, pero será mediodía.

I don't know what time it is, but it's probably noon.

Veo una luz encendida en su casa. Será que ya llegaron.

I see a light on in their house. It must be that they've already arrived.

Guessing About the Present

Even though 'será' looks like it's about the future, you can use it to make a guess or state a probability about something happening right now. It's a common conversational shortcut.

deberían

deh-veh-REE-ahndeβeˈɾian

verbA2
Use 'deberían' (plural form of 'deber') when expressing probability or conjecture about a group of people or things.
Two small, cartoonish figures standing next to a giant, brightly colored arrow pointing directly towards a neat stack of books, illustrating a recommendation or obligation.

Examples

Ellos deberían llegar a tiempo para la reunión.

They should arrive on time for the meeting.

Ustedes deberían probar este plato; es delicioso.

You all ought to try this dish; it's delicious.

¿No deberían estar estudiando en lugar de jugar?

Shouldn't they be studying instead of playing?

Soft Advice, Not Command

Using deberían (conditional) is a softer way to give advice than using the present tense (deben), which sounds like a firm order or strong necessity (like 'must').

Use with 'Ustedes'

Deberían is the form used when addressing a group formally ('ustedes'), meaning 'You all should' in Latin America and formal contexts everywhere.

Confusing Obligation Tenses

Mistake: “They use *Tienen que* (They have to) when giving simple advice.”

Correction: Use *Deberían* for recommendations and *Tienen que* only for rules or strong obligations. 'They should eat healthier' is *Deberían comer más sano*.

Singular vs. Plural Probability

Learners often confuse 'deber' and 'deberían' by not paying attention to the number of the subject. Remember 'deber' is for singular subjects (or general statements) and 'deberían' is specifically for plural subjects.

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