The Spanish verb "deber" means "to owe/must" in English. It is a regular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "deber" across all 5 tenses. New to Spanish verbs? Start with the Spanish verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "deber" in the Present Tense
Presente de indicativo Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | debo |
| tú | you (informal) | debes |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | debe |
| nosotros | we | debemos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | debéis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | deben |
Él debe llamar.
say it EL DEH-beh yah-MAR
He must call.
In other languages
- French Il doit appeler.
- German Er muss anrufen.
- Dutch Hij moet bellen.
Yo debo dinero.
say it YO DEH-boh dee-NEH-roh
I owe money.
In other languages
- French Je dois de l'argent.
- German Ich schulde Geld.
- Dutch Ik ben geld verschuldigd.
How to Conjugate "deber" in the Past (completed) Tense
Pretérito perfecto simple Actions that finished in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | debí |
| tú | you (informal) | debiste |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | debió |
| nosotros | we | debimos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | debisteis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | debieron |
Ella debió salir.
say it EH-yah deh-BYOH sah-LEER
She had to leave.
In other languages
- French Elle a dû partir.
- German Sie musste gehen.
- Dutch Zij moest vertrekken.
Yo debí pagar.
say it yo deh-BEE pah-GAHR
I had to pay.
In other languages
- French J'ai dû payer.
- German Ich musste bezahlen.
- Dutch Ik moest betalen.
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Try VerbPal FreeHow to Conjugate "deber" in the Past (ongoing) Tense
Pretérito imperfecto Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | debía |
| tú | you (informal) | debías |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | debía |
| nosotros | we | debíamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | debíais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | debían |
Él debía ir al médico.
say it el deh-BEE-ah eer al MEH-dee-koh
He used to have to go to the doctor.
In other languages
- French Il devait aller chez le médecin.
- German Er musste früher zum Arzt gehen.
- Dutch Hij moest vroeger naar de dokter gaan.
Yo debía dinero.
say it yo deh-BEE-ah dee-NEH-roh
I used to owe money.
In other languages
- French J'avais des dettes.
- German Ich schuldete früher Geld.
- Dutch Ik was vroeger geld verschuldigd.
How to Conjugate "deber" in the Future Tense
Futuro simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | deberé |
| tú | you (informal) | deberás |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | deberá |
| nosotros | we | deberemos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | deberéis |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | deberán |
Él deberá descansar.
say it el deh-beh-RAH dehs-kahn-SAHR
He will have to rest.
In other languages
- French Il devra se reposer.
- German Er wird sich ausruhen müssen.
- Dutch Hij zal moeten rusten.
Yo deberé estudiar.
say it yo deh-beh-REH ehs-too-dee-AHR
I will have to study.
In other languages
- French Je devrai étudier.
- German Ich werde lernen müssen.
- Dutch Ik zal moeten studeren.
How to Conjugate "deber" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Condicional simple Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| yo | I | debería |
| tú | you (informal) | deberías |
| él/ella/usted | he/she/you (formal) | debería |
| nosotros | we | deberíamos |
| vosotros | you all (Spain) | deberíais |
| ellos/ustedes | they/you all | deberían |
Él debería descansar.
say it el deh-beh-REE-ah dehs-kan-SAR
He should rest.
In other languages
- French Il devrait se reposer.
- German Er sollte sich ausruhen.
- Dutch Hij zou moeten rusten.
Yo debería estudiar más.
say it yo deh-beh-REE-ah es-too-dee-YAR mahs
I should study more.
In other languages
- French Je devrais étudier davantage.
- German Ich sollte mehr lernen.
- Dutch Ik zou meer moeten studeren.
Frequently Asked Questions About "deber"
Is "deber" regular or irregular in Spanish?
"Deber" is a regular Spanish verb that follows standard conjugation patterns for its verb group.
What does "deber" mean in English?
The Spanish verb "deber" means "to owe/must" in English.
How do you conjugate "deber" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente de indicativo): yo → debo, tú → debes, él/ella/usted → debe, nosotros → debemos, vosotros → debéis, ellos/ustedes → deben.
How many tenses does "deber" have in Spanish?
"Deber" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Spanish: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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