nounverb

el deber

must · should

Es la obligación o responsabilidad que una persona tiene de hacer algo.

Definition & meaning

As a verb, deber has two primary meanings depending on the context:

To owe: It refers to the obligation to pay or return something, usually money, to someone else. It can also refer to a moral debt, such as owing someone an apology or gratitude.
Must / Should: It functions as an auxiliary verb to express obligation, necessity, or recommendation. When followed by an infinitive, it indicates that something is required. When followed by the preposition de and an infinitive (deber de), it usually expresses probability or a strong assumption (e.g., "it must be late").

As a masculine noun, el deber means duty, obligation, or responsibility. In the plural form, los deberes, it is most commonly used to refer to school homework.

Grammar & Word origin

The word deber originates from the Latin verb debere, which is a contraction of de (from/away) and habere (to have). Etymologically, it suggests "having something that belongs to someone else," which leads to the concept of debt and obligation.

In Spanish grammar, it is a regular verb of the second conjugation (ending in -er). When used as a modal verb to express duty, it is followed directly by the infinitive of another verb. As a noun, it follows standard masculine patterns (el deber / los deberes).