Deber preterite conjugation
Deber in the preterite: debí, debiste, debió, debimos, debisteis, debieron.
- to owe; must; should
- regular
- Participle: debido
- Gerund: debiendo
Preterite pretérito
| yo | debí |
|---|---|
| tú | debiste |
| él/ella/usted | debió |
| nosotros | debimos |
| vosotros | debisteis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | debieron |
How to use deber in the preterite
The preterite of deber is regular: debí, debiste, debió, debimos, debieron. With an infinitive, it often expresses regret about the past: "Debí llamarte" means "I should have called you." "Debió de" adds probability: "Debió de olvidarse" (he must have forgotten). The preterite is also used for a one-time obligation that was fulfilled.
Examples
Debí avisarte antes, perdón.
I should have told you sooner, sorry.
Debieron cancelar el vuelo por la tormenta.
They had to cancel the flight because of the storm.
Debió de quedarse dormido.
He must have overslept.
Quick check: deber in the preterite
More deber tenses
- All deber tenses
- Deber present
- Deber imperfect
- Deber future
- Deber conditional
- Deber present subjunctive
- Deber affirmative commands
Other verbs in the preterite
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