deber

m.

duty.

los derechos y los deberes de los ciudadanos citizens' rights and duties

Ella tiene el deber de cuidarla She has the obligation to take care of her

v.

1 to owe.

deber algo a alguien to owe somebody something, to owe something to somebody

¿qué o cuánto le debo? how much is it?

Esa pobre mujer debe desde hace mucho That poor woman owes since long before

Esa mujer debe mil dólares That woman owes one thousand dollars.

2 to have to, to be bound to, to have got to, to must.

Ella debe cuidar de María She has to take care of Mary.

3 to be supposed to.

* * *

deber

► verbo transitivo

1 (estar obligado a algo) to owe

■ debemos respeto a nuestros padres we owe respect to our parents

2 (dinero, cosa) to owe

■ te debo cincuenta euros I owe you fifty euros

► auxiliar

1 (obligación presente) must, have to, have got to

■ debo ir a comprar I must go shopping

■ debes acabar antes de que lleguen you have to finish before they arrive

2 (obligación pasada) should, ought to

■ debía haberlo comprado ayer I should have bought it yesterday

3 (obligación futura) must, have to, have got to

■ deberás tenerlo a las cinco you must have it ready by five o'clock

4 (obligación moral) should, ought to

■ no deberías haberlo hecho you shouldn't have done it

5 deber de (probabilidad) must; (negativa) can't

■ deben de ser las seis it must be six o'clock

■ debes de haberlo oído you must have heard it

■ no sé cuántas veces he debido de decírtelo I don't know how many times I must have told you

■ no deben de haber llegado they can't have arrived

► verbo pronominal deberse

1 (ser consecuencia) to be due (a, to)

■ esto se debe a su falta de interés this is due to his lack of interest

2 (tener una obligación) to have a duty (a, to)

■ un soldado se debe a su patria a soldier has a duty to his country

► nombre masculino deber

1 (obligación) duty, obligation

► nombre masculino plural deberes

1 (escolares) homework sing

\

FRASEOLOGÍA

cumplir con su deber to do one's duty

hacer los deberes to do one's homework

* * *

1. noun m.

duty

2. verb

1) must

2) ought to, should

3) to owe

* * *

1.

VT [+ dinero, explicación, respeto] to owe

me debes cinco dólares — you owe me five dollars

¿qué le debo? — [en bares, tiendas] how much (is it)?, how much do I owe you?

me deben muchos favores — they owe me a lot of favours

te debo una disculpa — I owe you an apology

el teatro español debe mucho a Buero Vallejo — Spanish theatre owes a lot to Buero Vallejo

todo lo que he conseguido se lo debo a mi padre — I have my father to thank for everything I have achieved, I owe everything I have achieved to my father

2. VI

1) + infin

[obligación]

debo intentar verla — I must try to see her

no debes preocuparte — you mustn't worry

no debes comer tanto — you shouldn't eat so much

como debe ser — as it ought to o should be

debería cambiarse cada mes — it ought to o should be changed every month

habrías debido traerlo — you ought to have o should have brought it

no deberías haberla dejado sola — you shouldn't have left her alone

debíamos haber salido ayer — we were to have o should have left yesterday

2) + infin

[suposición]

debe (de) ser brasileño — he must be a Brazilian

debe (de) hacer mucho frío allí — it must be very cold there

debe (de) ser así — it must be like that, that's how it must be

he debido (de) perderlo — I must have lost it

no debe (de) ser muy caro — it can't be very dear

no debe (de) tener mucho dinero — he can't have much money

no debía (de) tener más de dieciocho años — she couldn't have been more than eighteen

no debía (de) andar lejos de los 200.000 libros — it can't have been far off 200,000 books

no debía (de) quedar ninguno vivo — it is unlikely that any survived

3.

See:

deberse

* * *

I 1.

verbo transitivo

a) <dinero> to owe

exigen el pago de lo que se les debe — they're demanding to be paid what is owing to them

¿cuánto se debe? — how much do I/we owe you?

te debo las entradas de ayer — I owe you for the tickets from yesterday

b) <favor/visita/explicación> to owe

España le debe mucho al Islam — Spain owes a great debt to Islam

esta victoria se la debo a mi entrenador — I have to thank my coach for this victory

2.

deber v aux

1) (expresando obligación)

deber + inf: debes decírselo you have to o you must tell her; deberías or debías habérselo dicho you ought to have o you should have told her; la trató respetuosamente, como debe ser he treated her with respect, as he should; no debes usarlo you are not to o you must not use it; no se debe mentir you mustn't tell lies; no deberías haberlo dejado solo — you shouldn't have left him alone

2) (expresando suposición, probabilidad)

a)

deber (de) + inf: deben (de) ser más de las cinco it must be after five o'clock; deben (de) haber salido they must have gone out; debe (de) estar ganando mucho — she/he must be earning a lot

b) (en frases negativas)

no deben (de) saber la dirección — they probably don't know the address

no les debe (de) haber interesado — they can't have been interested

3.

deberse v pron

1) (tener su causa en)

deberse a algo: se debió a un fallo humano it was caused by o was due to human error; todo se debe a que no estudia it's all due o down to the fact that she doesn't study; ¿a qué se debe este escándalo? — what's all this racket about?

2) persona (tener obligaciones hacia)

deberse a alguien — to have a duty to somebody

el artista se debe a su público — an artist has a duty to his/her public

II

masculino

1) (obligación) duty

cumplió con su deber — he carried out o did his duty

faltó a su deber — he failed in his duty

siento que es un deber de conciencia ayudarlos — I feel morally bound to help them

2) deberes masculino plural (tarea escolar) homework, assignment (AmE)

¿has hecho los deberes? — have you done your homework?

* * *

I 1.

verbo transitivo

a) <dinero> to owe

exigen el pago de lo que se les debe — they're demanding to be paid what is owing to them

¿cuánto se debe? — how much do I/we owe you?

te debo las entradas de ayer — I owe you for the tickets from yesterday

b) <favor/visita/explicación> to owe

España le debe mucho al Islam — Spain owes a great debt to Islam

esta victoria se la debo a mi entrenador — I have to thank my coach for this victory

2.

deber v aux

1) (expresando obligación)

deber + inf: debes decírselo you have to o you must tell her; deberías or debías habérselo dicho you ought to have o you should have told her; la trató respetuosamente, como debe ser he treated her with respect, as he should; no debes usarlo you are not to o you must not use it; no se debe mentir you mustn't tell lies; no deberías haberlo dejado solo — you shouldn't have left him alone

2) (expresando suposición, probabilidad)

a)

deber (de) + inf: deben (de) ser más de las cinco it must be after five o'clock; deben (de) haber salido they must have gone out; debe (de) estar ganando mucho — she/he must be earning a lot

b) (en frases negativas)

no deben (de) saber la dirección — they probably don't know the address

no les debe (de) haber interesado — they can't have been interested

3.

deberse v pron

1) (tener su causa en)

deberse a algo: se debió a un fallo humano it was caused by o was due to human error; todo se debe a que no estudia it's all due o down to the fact that she doesn't study; ¿a qué se debe este escándalo? — what's all this racket about?

2) persona (tener obligaciones hacia)

deberse a alguien — to have a duty to somebody

el artista se debe a su público — an artist has a duty to his/her public

II

masculino

1) (obligación) duty

cumplió con su deber — he carried out o did his duty

faltó a su deber — he failed in his duty

siento que es un deber de conciencia ayudarlos — I feel morally bound to help them

2) deberes masculino plural (tarea escolar) homework, assignment (AmE)

¿has hecho los deberes? — have you done your homework?

* * *

deber¹

¹ = duty [duties, -pl.], obligation.

Ex: Organisations often expect an information officer or librarian to prepare such abstracts as are necessary, in addition to performing various other information duties.

Ex: At the same time, the Library acknowledges its obligation to cooperate with major abstracting and indexing services to build a comprehensive national bibliographic data base.

* consciente de los deberes de Uno = dutiful.

* cumplir (con) un deber = discharge + duty.

* deber ciudadano = civic duty.

* deber cumplido = duty accomplished.

* deberes = homework, school tasks, homework assignment, school work [schoolwork], class assignment, course assignment, student assignment.

* deber familiar = familial duty.

* deber moral = moral duty.

* deber profesional = professional duty.

* hacer el deber de Uno = do + Posesivo + part.

* hacer los deberes = do + homework.

* incumplimiento del deber = neglect of duty, breach of duty.

* más allá del deber = beyond the call of duty.

* negligencia en el cumplimiento del deber = dereliction of duty.

* no hacer los deberes = be asleep at the wheel.

* sentido del deber = sense of duty.

* tener el deber de = have + a responsibility to.

* tener un deber que cumplir con = have + a responsibility to.

deber²

² = must, ought to, owe.

Ex: Even the same collection some years on will have altered, and the device, in order to remain effective, must evolve in keeping with the development of the collection.

Ex: Early in its discussions the Working Group concluded that the implementation of an international authority system ought to follow a phased approach.

Ex: DOBIS/LIBIS can then tell which borrowers owe the library money.

* debe por lo tanto deducirse que = it must therefore follow that.

* debe por lo tanto esperarse que = it must therefore follow that.

* debe por lo tanto ser lógico que = it must therefore follow that.

* debe por lo tanto ser una consecuencia lógica que = it must therefore follow that.

* deber haber ocurrido antes = be long overdue.

* debería existir = there + ought to be.

* debería haber = there + ought to be.

* debería(n) = should.

* deber pagarse = be payable.

* deber pensarse = thought + must be given.

* deber prestar atención = warrant + consideration.

* deberse = be due.

* deberse a = be due to, be caused by, be attributable to, boil down to.

* deber una multa = owe + fine.

* deber + Verbo = be + to be + Verbo.

* debe ser + Participio = be to be + Participio.

* estar haciendo algo que no se debe = be up to no good, get up to + no good.

* mérito + deberse a = credit + be due to, credit + go to, be to the credit of.

* multa que se debe = unpaid fine.

* no actuar como se debe = be remiss.

* no cumplir con + Posesivo + deber = be remiss.

* no deber nada = pay + Posesivo + dues.

* no debes juzgar un libro por el color de sus pastas = don't judge a book by its cover, don't judge a book by its cover.

* * *

deber¹ [E1 ] [Grammar notes (Spanish) ]

vt

1 ‹dinero› to owe

le deben 15.000 pesos/dos meses de sueldo they owe her 15,000 pesos/two months' salary

quieren que les paguen lo que se les debe they want to be paid what they are due o what is owing to them

no le debo nada a nadie I don't owe anything to anyone

¿cuánto or (fam) qué se debe? how much o what do I/we owe you?

te debo las entradas de ayer I owe you for the tickets from yesterday

2 ‹favor/visita/explicación› to owe

le debo la vida I owe her my life

todavía le debo el regalo de cumpleaños I still owe him o haven't given him a birthday present

me debe carta ella a mí she owes me a letter, it's her turn to write to me

les debes respeto y obediencia you owe them respect and obedience

España le debe mucho al Islam Spain owes a great debt to Islam

esta victoria se la debo a mi entrenador I have my coach to thank for this victory

¿a qué debo este honor? to what do I owe this honor?

■

v aux

A (expresando obligación) deber + INF:

debes decírselo you have to o you must tell her

deberías or debías habérselo dicho you ought to have o you should have told her

deberás decírselo you will have to tell her

debería or debiera darte vergüenza you ought to be o you should be ashamed of yourself

la trató cortés y respetuosamente, como debe ser he treated her with courtesy and respect, as he should

no debes usarlo sin antes pedir permiso you are not to o you must not use it without asking first

no se debe mentir you mustn't tell lies

no deberías or debías haberlo dejado solo or no debiste dejarlo solo you shouldn't have left him alone

B (expresando suposición, probabilidad)

1 deber ( DE) + INF:

ya deben (de) ser más de las cinco it must be after five o'clock

¡debes (de) estar muriéndote de hambre! you must be starving!

deben (de) haber salido they must have gone out

nos hemos debido (de) cruzar we must have passed each other

debe (de) estar ganando mucho más que eso she must be earning a lot more than that

le debe (de) doler mucho it must be very painful

ésos debieron (de) ser or deben (de) haber sido momentos muy duros that must have been a very difficult time

has debido (de) perderlo or debes (de) haberlo perdido you must have lost it

2

(en frases negativas): no deben (de) saber del accidente, si no habrían vuelto they can't know about the accident or they would have come back

¿por qué no ha llamado? — no debe (de) haber podido why hasn't he phoned? — he obviously hasn't been able to

la conferencia fue en francés, no deben (de) haber entendido nada the lecture was in French, I bet they didn't understand a word o they can't have understood a word

no les debe haber interesado or no les debió interesar they can't have been interested o presumably, they weren't interested

■ deberse

v pron

A (tener su causa en) deberse A algo:

el retraso se debe al mal tiempo the delay is due to the bad weather

el accidente se debió a un fallo humano the accident was caused by o was due to human error

¿a qué se debe este escándalo? what's all this racket about?

¿a qué se debe tan agradable sorpresa? to what do I owe such a pleasant surprise?

B «persona» (tener obligaciones hacia) deberse A algn; to have a duty TO sb

el artista se debe a su público an artist has a duty to his or her public

me debo antes que nada a mis pacientes my first responsibility o duty is to my patients

me debo a mis electores I have a duty to the people who voted for me

deber²

masculine

A (obligación) duty

cumplió con su deber he carried out o did his duty

faltó a su deber he failed in his duty, he failed to do his duty

el deber del soldado para con su patria a soldier's duty to his country

votar es un derecho y un deber del cuidadano voting is the right and duty of every citizen

tengo el triste deber de comunicarles el fallecimiento de … (frml); it is my sad duty to inform you of the death of …

es un deber de conciencia ayudarlos I feel morally bound to help them

B deberes mpl (tarea escolar) homework, assignment (AmE)

¿has hecho los deberes? have you done your homework?

nos ponen or mandan muchos deberes they set us a lot of homework

* * *

 

deber 1 (conjugate deber) verbo transitivo ‹dinero/favor/explicación› to owe;

◊ te debo las entradas de ayer I owe you for the tickets from yesterday

deber v aux
1 (expresando obligación):

◊ debemos trabajar más we must work harder;

no debes usarlo you must not use it;
deberías or debías habérselo dicho you ought to have o you should have told her;
no se debe mentir you mustn't tell lies;
no deberías haberlo dejado solo you shouldn't have left him alone
2 (expresando suposición, probabilidad):

◊ deben (de) ser más de las cinco it must be after five o'clock;

deben (de) haber salido they must have gone out;
debe (de) estar enamorado she/he must be in love;
no deben (de) saber la dirección they probably don't know the address;
no les debe (de) interesar they can't be interested
deberse verbo pronominal
1 (tener su causa en) deberse a algo to be due to sth;

◊ se debe a que no estudia it's due to the fact that she doesn't study;

¿a qué se debe este escándalo? what's all this racket about?
2 [persona] (tener obligaciones hacia) deberse a algn to have a duty to sb
deber 2 sustantivo masculino
1 (obligación) duty;

◊ cumplió con su deber he carried out o did his duty

2

◊ deberes sustantivo masculino plural (tarea escolar) homework, assignment (AmE)

deber 1 sustantivo masculino
I duty: deberá cumplir con su deber, she must do her duty
II Educ deberes, homework sing
deber 2
I verbo transitivo
1 (tener una deuda) to owe: me debe una disculpa, he owes me an apology
le debe mucho a su entrenador, he owes a lot to his trainer
2 (+ infinitivo: estar obligado a) must, to have to: debe tomar el medicamento, he must take the medicine
debía hacerlo, I had to do it
ya debería estar aquí, he ought to be here‚ ¡debería darte vergüenza!, you should be ashamed of yourself! o shame on you! ➣ Ver nota en must 3 (para dar un consejo) should: deberías estar presente, you should be present
II verbo intransitivo (deber + de + infinitivo: ser posible) (positivo) must: debe de haberlo oído en alguna parte, he must have heard it from somewhere
(negativo) can not: debe de estar dormido, he must be asleep
todavía no deben de haber llegado, they can't have arrived yet
'deber' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
carga
- hacer
- imponerse
- incumplir
- incumplimiento
- obligación
- alto
- ciudadano
- cometido
- cumplimiento
- cumplir
- inexcusable
- ir
- satisfacción
- sentido
English:
accomplishment
- avoid
- before
- carry out
- civic
- discharge
- do
- duck
- duty
- immune
- job
- meet
- must
- need
- neglect
- ought
- owe
- service
- should
- suppose
- want
- bound
- call
- well

* * *

deber

♦ nm

[obligación] duty;

mi deber es ayudar it is my duty to help;

es mi deber intentar detenerle it is my duty to try to stop him;

cumplir con el deber to do one's duty;

faltarás a tu deber si no acudes a la reunión you will be failing in your duty if you don't come to the meeting;

los derechos y los deberes de los ciudadanos citizens' rights and duties;

mantener la ciudad limpia es deber de todos keeping the city tidy is everyone's responsibility;

tiene un gran sentido del deber she has a great sense of duty;

tengo el triste deber de comunicarles la aparición del cuerpo de su hijo it is my sad duty to inform you that your son's body has been found

♦ deberes nmpl

[trabajo escolar] homework;

hacer los deberes to do one's homework;

nos han mandado muchos deberes para el fin de semana they've set o given us a lot of homework for the weekend

♦ vt

1. [adeudar] to owe;

deber algo a alguien to owe sb sth, to owe sth to sb;

¿qué o [m5]cuánto le debo? how much is it?, how much does it come to?;

¿qué se debe? how much is it?, how much does it come to?;

¿qué te debo del pan y la leche? what do I owe you for the bread and milk?;

me deben medio millón de pesos they owe me half a million pesos;

me debes una cena you owe me a meal out

2. [moralmente] to owe;

te debo la vida I owe you my life;

este éxito se lo debo a mis compañeros I owe this success to my colleagues, I have my colleagues to thank for this success;

creo que te debo una explicación I think I owe you an explanation;

debemos mucho a nuestros padres we owe our parents a lot;

no le debo nada a nadie I don't owe anybody anything;

Formal

¿a qué debemos el honor de su visita? to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?;

Comp

Fam

deber una a alguien to owe sb one;

te debo una, compañero I owe you one, mate

♦ vi

1. (antes de infinitivo) [expresa obligación]

debo hacerlo I have to do it, I must do it;

deberían abolir esa ley they ought to o should abolish that law;

debes dominar tus impulsos you must o should control your impulses;

debería darles vergüenza they ought to be ashamed;

no deberías fumar tanto you shouldn't smoke so much;

no debes decir mentiras you mustn't o shouldn't tell lies;

no debiste insultarle you shouldn't have insulted her;

Fam

una película como debe ser a proper film, a film like films were meant to be

2. [expresa posibilidad]

el tren debe de llegar alrededor de las diez the train should arrive at about ten;

deben de haber llegado ya a casa they must o should be home by now;

deben de ser las diez it must be ten o'clock;

no debe de ser muy mayor she can't be very old;

no debe de hacer mucho frío it can't be very o that cold;

debe de ser extranjero he must be a foreigner;

debes de estar cayéndote de sueño you must be exhausted;

debo haberlo dejado en casa I must have left it at home

♦ See also the pronominal verb deberse

* * *

deber

I m

1 duty

2

:

deberes pl homework sg

II v/t owe;

deber a alguien 500 pesos owe s.o. 500 pesos

III v/i

1 en presente must, have to;

debo llegar a la hora I must be on time, I have to be on time;

no debo llegar tarde I mustn’t be late

2 en pretérito should have;

debería haberme callado I should have kept quiet

3 en futuro will have to;

deberán terminar imediatamente they must finish o they will have to finish immediately

4 en condicional should;

¿qué debería hacer? what should I do?;

no deberías hacer eso you shouldn’t do that;

debería ser lo suficientemente largo that should be long enough

5 como suposición

:

debe de hacer frío it must be cold;

debe de tener quince años he must be about 15;

debe de hacer poco que viven aquí they can’t have lived here for long;

ya deben de haber llegado they must o should have arrived by now

* * *

deber vt

: to owe

deber v aux

1) : must, have to

debo ir a la oficina: I must go to the office

2) : should, ought to

deberías buscar trabajo: you ought to look for work

3) (expressing probability) : must

debe ser mexicano: he must be Mexican

♦ See also the reflexive verb deberse

* * *

deber¹ n duty [pl. duties]

es un deber del ciudadano pagar los impuestos it is every citizen's duty to pay taxes

cumplir con un deber to do your duty

deber² vb

1. (dinero, favor, etc) to owe

te debo 1.000 pesetas I owe you 1,000 pesetas

me debes un favor you owe me a favour

2. (estar obligado en presente) must / to have to

debemos respetar a los demás we must respect other people

3. (estar obligado en condicional) should / ought to

deberías ser menos impulsivo you should be less impulsive

deber de must

debe de haber aprobado porque está muy contento he must have passed because he's very happy