Inklingo

How to Say "they owed" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “they owed” is “debían” — use 'debían' to describe an ongoing or habitual debt in the past, implying the obligation continued over a period of time or was in the process of being fulfilled..

English → Spanish

debían

deh-BEE-ahn/deˈβi.an/

verbB1general
Use 'debían' to describe an ongoing or habitual debt in the past, implying the obligation continued over a period of time or was in the process of being fulfilled.
A small, anxious character reluctantly hands a single, large, valuable-looking golden sphere to a stern, larger character, symbolizing the settling of a financial debt.

Examples

Los agricultores debían mucho dinero al banco.

The farmers owed a lot of money to the bank.

Ellos no debían nada a nadie, eran libres de deudas.

They didn't owe anything to anyone; they were debt-free.

Owed Money

When 'deber' is followed by a noun (like 'dinero' or 'un favor'), it means 'to owe' that thing. 'Debían' describes this state of owing in the past.

debieron

deh-BYEH-rohn/deˈbjeɾon/

verbB1general
Use 'debieron' to refer to a specific, completed past debt or obligation that was due or fulfilled at a particular point in the past.
A storybook illustration depicting a rabbit and a squirrel carefully handing a small bag of gold coins to an owl, symbolizing the repayment of something they owed.

Examples

Ellos debieron diez mil dólares al banco.

They owed ten thousand dollars to the bank.

Los países debieron tributos al imperio romano.

The countries owed tributes to the Roman Empire.

Direct Object Needed

When 'debieron' means 'owed,' it must have a direct object (what was owed): 'Debieron el libro' (They owed the book).

Imperfect vs. Preterite for Debts

The most common mistake is confusing the imperfect ('debían') with the preterite ('debieron'). 'Debían' is used for ongoing or habitual past debts, while 'debieron' refers to a specific, completed past obligation. Think about whether the debt was a continuous state or a single, finished event.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.