Dive into our comprehensive guide to conjugating deber, designed to make mastering Spanish verbs easier than ever.
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Covering every tense—from the simple present to the elusive subjunctive—we provide clear explanations and interactive tools to accelerate your fluency.
Table of Contents
- Learn Faster with Audio
- Introduction to Deber
- Indicative tenses of Deber
- Deber in the Indicative Present
- Deber in the Indicative Preterite
- Deber in the Indicative Imperfect
- Deber in the Indicative Present Continuous
- Deber in the Indicative Near Future
- Deber in the Indicative Future
- Deber in the Indicative Conditional
- Deber in the Indicative Present Perfect
- Deber in the Indicative Past Perfect
- Deber in the Indicative Future Perfect
- Deber in the Indicative Conditional Perfect
- Subjunctive tenses of Deber
- Imperative tenses of Deber
The Power of Audio: Master Spanish Conjugations with Ease
Tired of wrestling with Spanish verb conjugations? You’re not alone! Traditional methods often rely on rote memorization of written charts, leading to frustration and slow progress. But there’s a better way – one that’s easier, faster, and more in tune with how your brain naturally learns.
In this post, you’ll discover a unique approach that combines the power of visual and auditory learning. We provide complete conjugation charts for the verb, along with specially designed audio recordings that play the conjugations on a loop. This allows you to effortlessly absorb the patterns and rhythms of the language, embedding them directly into your memory.
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- Select Your Target: Choose the verb tense you want to master (e.g., present tense, preterite, imperfect).
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- Activate Your Eyes: Simultaneously, follow along with the conjugation chart. This dual-sensory approach enhances your brain’s ability to encode and retain the information.
- Listen for the Flow: Continue listening until the conjugations feel like a natural, familiar melody. You’ll instinctively know when it “clicks.”
- Reinforce and Repeat: Revisit the audio and chart every few days to solidify the patterns in your long-term memory.
This method leverages your brain’s innate language learning capabilities, making memorization feel more like listening to a catchy song than a tedious study session.
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Introduction to Deber
“Deber” is a Spanish verb meaning “to must” or “should.” It’s used in a wide variety of contexts, from expressing obligation to indicating probability or likelihood.
| Infinitive | Past Participle | Gerund |
|---|---|---|
| deber | debido | debiendo |
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Example Sentences:
- Past Participle
He debido estudiar más. I should have studied more. - Gerund
Estoy debiendo entregar el trabajo. I am owing to turn in the work.
Indicative tenses of Deber
The indicative mood in Spanish is all about reality. When you use an indicative tense, you’re stating a fact, making an observation, or describing an event you believe to be true. This mood has a wide range of tenses that allow you to express yourself across different time frames, from the past to the present and into the future.
Deber in the Indicative Present
The present indicative tense of deber (to must/should/ought to) is used to talk about actions happening now, habits, routines, and general truths.
For example: Debo estudiar más. (I must study more.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | debo |
| Tú | debes |
| Él / Ella / Usted | debe |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | debemos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | debéis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | deben |
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The Indicative Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.
Deber in the Indicative Preterite
The preterite tense of deber is used to talk about completed actions in the past. Think of it as the tense for actions that have a clear beginning and end.
For example: Debí hacer mi tarea. (I had to do my homework.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | debí |
| Tú | debiste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | debió |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | debimos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | debisteis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | debieron |
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The Indicative Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Preterite Simple, Preterite Tense, or Past Definite in English, and as Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Simple, or Tiempo Pasado in Spanish.
Deber in the Indicative Imperfect
The imperfect tense of deber takes us back to the past, but with a different perspective than the preterite. It describes actions that were ongoing or repeated in the past, with no specific end point.
For example, Debía estudiar más cuando era estudiante. (I should have studied more when I was a student.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | debía |
| Tú | debías |
| Él / Ella / Usted | debía |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | debíamos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | debíais |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | debían |
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The Indicative Imperfect tense is also known as the Imperfect Tense, Past Imperfect, or Imperfective Past in English, and as Pretérito Imperfecto, Imperfecto de Indicativo, or Tiempo Imperfecto in Spanish.
Deber in the Indicative Present Continuous
The present continuous tense of deber describes an action that is in progress right now. It emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action.
For example: Estoy debiendo mucho dinero al banco. (I am owing a lot of money to the bank.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | estoy debiendo |
| Tú | estás debiendo |
| Él / Ella / Usted | está debiendo |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | estamos debiendo |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | estáis debiendo |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | están debiendo |
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The Indicative Present Continuous tense is also known as the Present Progressive, Continuous Present, or Progressive Present in English, and as Presente Continuo, Presente Progresivo, or Progresivo de Indicativo in Spanish.
Deber in the Indicative Near Future
The near future tense of deber expresses actions that will happen in the very near future. It often emphasizes the speaker’s intention or certainty.
For example: Voy a deber entregar el informe mañana. (I am going to have to submit the report tomorrow.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | voy a deber |
| Tú | vas a deber |
| Él / Ella / Usted | va a deber |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | vamos a deber |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | vais a deber |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | van a deber |
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The Indicative Near Future tense is also known as the Immediate Future, Simple Future (colloquial use), or Informal Future in English, and as Futuro Próximo, Futuro Cercano, or Ir a + Infinitivo in Spanish.
Deber in the Indicative Future
The future tense of deber expresses actions that will occur in the future. It’s a more formal way to talk about future plans or predictions.
For example: Deberás terminar tu tarea antes de salir. (You will have to finish your homework before going out.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | deberé |
| Tú | deberás |
| Él / Ella / Usted | deberá |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | deberemos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | deberéis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | deberán |
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The Indicative Future tense is also known as the Simple Future, Future Simple, or Future Tense in English, and as Futuro Simple, Futuro de Indicativo, or Tiempo Futuro in Spanish.
Deber in the Indicative Conditional
The conditional tense of deber is used to talk about hypothetical situations or actions that would happen under certain conditions. It often translates to “would have to” or “should” in English.
For example: Deberías estudiar más para el examen. (You should study more for the exam.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | debería |
| Tú | deberías |
| Él / Ella / Usted | debería |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | deberíamos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | deberíais |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | deberían |
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The Indicative Conditional tense is also known as the Conditional Tense, Present Conditional, or Simple Conditional in English, and as Condicional Simple, Condicional de Indicativo, or Tiempo Condicional in Spanish.
Deber in the Indicative Present Perfect
The present perfect tense of deber is used to describe obligations or duties that started in the past and continue to the present, or have a result that is relevant to the present.
For example: He debido trabajar horas extras esta semana. (I have had to work overtime this week.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | he debido |
| Tú | has debido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | ha debido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | hemos debido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | habéis debido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | han debido |
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The Indicative Present Perfect tense is also known as the Present Perfect, Perfect Present, or Compound Past in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto, Perfecto de Indicativo, or Presente Perfecto in Spanish.
Deber in the Indicative Past Perfect
The past perfect tense of deber is used to describe an obligation or duty that happened before another action in the past.
For example: Había debido estudiar más para el examen. (I had needed to study more for the exam.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | había debido |
| Tú | habías debido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | había debido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | habíamos debido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | habíais debido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | habían debido |
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The Indicative Past Perfect tense is also known as the Pluperfect, Past Perfect, or Compound Past Perfect in English, and as Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto, Pluscuamperfecto de Indicativo, or Pasado Perfecto in Spanish.
Deber in the Indicative Future Perfect
The future perfect tense of deber describes an obligation or duty that will be completed before a specific point in the future.
For example: Habré debido pagar todas mis deudas para fin de año. (I will have had to pay all my debts by the end of the year.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | habré debido |
| Tú | habrás debido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | habrá debido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | habremos debido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | habréis debido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | habrán debido |
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The Indicative Future Perfect tense is also known as the Future Perfect or Compound Future in English, and as Futuro Perfecto, Perfecto de Futuro, or Futuro Compuesto in Spanish.
Deber in the Indicative Conditional Perfect
The conditional perfect of deber is used to talk about hypothetical obligations or duties in the past, something that should have happened if a different condition had been met. It often translates to “should have” or “would have had to” in English.
For example: Habrías debido llamar antes de venir. (You should have called before coming.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | habría debido |
| Tú | habrías debido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | habría debido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | habríamos debido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | habríais debido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | habrían debido |
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The Indicative Conditional Perfect tense is also known as the Perfect Conditional or Compound Conditional in English, and as Condicional Perfecto, Perfecto de Condicional, or Condicional Compuesto in Spanish.
Subjunctive tenses of Deber
The subjunctive mood in Spanish might seem a bit mysterious at first, but it’s all about expressing subjectivity. Instead of stating cold, hard facts, you use the subjunctive to talk about desires, doubts, emotions, and possibilities. Think of it as the mood of uncertainty, where things are wished for, doubted, or influenced by opinions and feelings.
Deber in the Present Subjunctive
The present subjunctive of deber is used to express wishes, doubts, emotions, and possibilities about obligations or duties in the present or future. It often follows verbs or phrases that indicate subjectivity or uncertainty.
For example: Espero que debas terminar el trabajo pronto. (I hope you have to finish the work soon.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | deba |
| Tú | debas |
| Él / Ella / Usted | deba |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | debamos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | debáis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | deban |
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The Subjunctive Present tense is also known as the Present Subjunctive or Simple Present Subjunctive in English, and as Presente de Subjuntivo or Subjuntivo Presente in Spanish.
Deber in the Imperfect Subjunctive
The imperfect subjunctive of deber is used to express wishes, doubts, emotions, and possibilities about obligations or duties in the past, or in hypothetical situations. It often follows verbs or phrases that indicate subjectivity or uncertainty in the past tense.
For example: Dudaba que debiera pagar tanto. (I doubted that he/she should pay so much.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | debiera |
| Tú | debieras |
| Él / Ella / Usted | debiera |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | debiéramos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | debierais |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | debieran |
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The Subjunctive Imperfect tense is also known as the Imperfect Subjunctive or Past Subjunctive in English, and as Pretérito Imperfecto de Subjuntivo, Imperfecto de Subjuntivo, or Subjuntivo Pasado in Spanish.
Deber in the Future Subjunctive
The future subjunctive is rarely used in modern Spanish, but it’s good to be aware of it! It expresses a hypothetical obligation or duty in the future with a high degree of uncertainty.
For example: Si debiere pagar la multa, lo haré. (If I should have to pay the fine, I will do it.)
You’ll likely encounter this tense more in literature or legal texts than in everyday conversation.
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | debiere |
| Tú | debieres |
| Él / Ella / Usted | debiere |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | debiéremos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | debiereis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | debieren |
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The Subjunctive Future tense is also known as the Future Subjunctive or Simple Future Subjunctive in English, and as Futuro de Subjuntivo or Subjuntivo Futuro in Spanish.
Deber in the Present Perfect Subjunctive
The present perfect subjunctive of deber is used to express obligations or duties that are completed in relation to the present or future, but with some element of subjectivity or uncertainty.
For example: Me alegra que hayas debido aprender esta lección. (I’m glad that you have had to learn this lesson.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | haya debido |
| Tú | hayas debido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | haya debido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | hayamos debido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | hayáis debido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hayan debido |
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The Subjunctive Present Perfect tense is also known as the Perfect Subjunctive or Present Perfect Subjunctive in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo or Perfecto de Subjuntivo in Spanish.
Deber in the Past Perfect Subjunctive
The past perfect subjunctive of deber is used to express obligations or duties that were completed before another action in the past, but with some element of subjectivity or uncertainty.
For example: Dudaba que hubiera debido pagar tanto. (I doubted that he/she should have had to pay so much.)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | hubiera debido |
| Tú | hubieras debido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | hubiera debido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | hubiéramos debido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | hubierais debido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hubieran debido |
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The Subjunctive Past Perfect tense is also known as the Pluperfect Subjunctive, Past Perfect Subjunctive, or Compound Past Subjunctive in English, and as Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo or Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo in Spanish.
Deber in the Future Perfect Subjunctive
Like the future subjunctive, the future perfect subjunctive is very rare in modern Spanish. It expresses a hypothetical obligation that will have been completed before a certain point in the future.
For example: Cuando hubiere debido pagar los impuestos, te avisaré. (When I have had to pay the taxes, I will let you know.)
It’s more likely to be found in legal documents or older literature than in everyday speech. Most speakers would use other tenses to express this idea.
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | hubiere debido |
| Tú | hubieres debido |
| Él / Ella / Usted | hubiere debido |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | hubiéremos debido |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | hubiereis debido |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hubieren debido |
Click play to learn these conjugations faster and more easily.
The Subjunctive Future Perfect tense is also known as the Future Perfect Subjunctive or Compound Future Subjunctive in English, and as Futuro Perfecto de Subjuntivo or Perfecto de Futuro de Subjuntivo in Spanish.
Imperative tenses of Deber
The imperative mood in Spanish is all about getting things done! It’s the mood of commands, requests, and instructions. When you use the imperative, you’re telling someone what they must or should do, offering advice, or even expressing a strong obligation. Want to tell someone to do their homework, pay their bills, or be responsible? The imperative is your go-to mood.
Deber in the Imperative Affirmative
The affirmative imperative of deber is used to give commands or instructions about what someone must or should do.
For example: ¡Debe estudiar más! (You must study more!)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | — |
| Tú | debe |
| Él / Ella / Usted | deba |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | debamos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | debed |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | deban |
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The Imperative Affirmative tense is also known as the Positive Imperative or Affirmative Command in English, and as Imperativo Afirmativo or Mandato Afirmativo in Spanish.
Deber in the Imperative Negative
The negative imperative of deber is used to give commands or instructions about what someone must not or should not do.
For example: ¡No debas gastar tanto dinero! (You must not spend so much money!)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | — |
| Tú | no debas |
| Él / Ella / Usted | no deba |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | no debamos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | no debáis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | no deban |
Click play to learn these conjugations faster and more easily.
The Imperative Negative tense is also known as the Negative Imperative or Negative Command in English, and as Imperativo Negativo or Mandato Negativo in Spanish.