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Deber present conjugation

Deber in the present: debo, debes, debe, debemos, debéis, deben.

  • to owe; must; should
  • regular
  • Participle: debido
  • Gerund: debiendo

Present presente

yodebo
túdebes
él/ella/usteddebe
nosotrosdebemos
vosotrosdebéis
ellos/ellas/ustedesdeben

How to use deber in the present

The present of deber is regular: debo, debes, debe, debemos, deben. With an infinitive it expresses a firm obligation: "Debes presentar tu identificación." With a noun it means "to owe": "¿Cuánto le debo?" (how much do I owe you?), which you will hear in every shop. "Se debe a" explains causes: "El retraso se debe al clima."

Examples

  • ¿Cuánto le debo por la consulta?

    How much do I owe you for the appointment?

  • El retraso se debe a un problema técnico.

    The delay is due to a technical problem.

  • Debes llevar casco en la obra.

    You must wear a helmet on the job site.

Quick check: deber in the present

1. vosotros · Present of deber
2. yo · Present of deber
3. tú · Present of deber
4. él/ella/usted · Present of deber
5. nosotros · Present of deber

More deber tenses

Other verbs in the present

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