Deber conjugation and meaning

Use the present forms of deber for current situations, routines and actions that happen regularly.

Use present haber with debido for a completed action connected to the present.

Use the preterite when the action of deber is presented as completed in the past.

Use the imperfect for repeated or ongoing past uses of deber, or for background information.

Use imperfect haber with debido for an action completed before another past point.

Use the future forms of deber for predictions, promises and future statements.

Use future haber with debido for an action that will be complete before a future point.

Use the conditional forms of deber for hypothetical or tactful statements.

Use conditional haber with debido for a hypothetical completed past action.

Use these forms when a current wish, reaction, doubt or another trigger requires the subjunctive.

Use present-subjunctive haber with debido for a completed action in a present subjunctive context.

Use these forms for past subjunctive contexts and hypothetical structures; the equivalent -se series is also accepted where supplied.

Use imperfect-subjunctive haber with debido for an unreal or earlier completed past action.

Choose the affirmative command of deber that matches the person being addressed.

Use no with the matching command form of deber.