tu dovevi

had to, were supposed to, should have, owed

d o ˈv e . v i → dovere
dovev must; owe + i tu imperfect
auxiliary · 2nd-person singular informal, imperfect tense Common #4,553
had to, were supposed to, should have With an infinitive, it expresses an obligation or something expected in the past. The English translation depends on context.
IT: Dovevi chiamarmi ieri.
EN: You were supposed to call me yesterday.
Conjugation of dovere
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First dovevo dovevamo
Second dovevi dovevate
Third doveva dovevano

Poi dovevi reagire alla melodia del cellulare.

Then you had to react to the melody on your cell phone.

— Old Boy (2003)

Dovevi farmi un ritratto.

You were supposed to draw my portrait.

— Crimini e misfatti (1989)

Sofi, dovevi aiutarlo a scrivere"Mi manchi molto, papà".

Sofi, you were supposed to help him write, “I miss you so much, Dad.”

— Roma (2018)

Dovevi portarmi la donna.

You were supposed to bring me the woman.

— 28 anni dopo - Il tempio delle ossa (2026)

Dovevi proprio sposarti?

Did you really have to get married?

— La sposa turca (2004)

E qual è la cosa importante di cui dovevi parlargli?

And what is the important thing you needed to talk to him about?

— Donne sull'orlo di una crisi di nervi (1988)

Dovevi scommettere.

You had to bet.

— F1 - Il film (2025)

Dovevi svegliarmi prima!

You should have woken me up earlier!

— Una giornata particolare (1977)

Dovevi aiutarmi.

You were supposed to help me.

— I guardiani del giorno (2006)

Dovevi venire a mezzanotte!

You were supposed to come at midnight!

— Fuck you, prof! (2013)

Dovevi chiederlo tu, farti notare.

You should have asked for it, made yourself noticed.

— I 400 colpi (1959)

Dovevi dirmi sempre dove stavi.

You always had to tell me where you were.

— Quasi famosi (2000)

Per toccare un pezzo grosso, dovevi avere un buon motivo.

To touch a big shot, you had to have a good reason.

— Quei bravi ragazzi (1990)

Io ti ho salvato la vita, e tu dovevi darmi le armature.

I saved your life, and you had to give me the armor.

— Iron Man 2 (2010)

Dovevi morire tu.

You were supposed to die.

— Roma (2018)

No, tu mi dovevi spiegare!

No, you had to explain it to me!

— Volver - Tornare (2006)

Dovevi prendere i suoi occhi.

You were supposed to take his eyes.

— Andhadhun (2018)

Dovevi ridurre così il ragazzo?

Did you have to reduce the boy like this?

— Pixote, la legge del più debole (1980)

Anche se fossi stato tu, dovevi negare.

Even if it were you, you had to deny it.

— Madre (2009)

Dovevi soffrire, sapendo di essere innocente.

You had to suffer, knowing you were innocent.

— Mercy - Sotto accusa (2026)

Dovevi tirare fuori la tua altra personalità?

Did you have to bring out your other personality?

— Io sono nessuno 2 (2025)

Preacherboy, dovevi sentirci.

Preacherboy, you should’ve heard us.

— I peccatori (2025)

Dovevi ascoltare il dottore.

You should have listened to the doctor.

— Andhadhun (2018)

Dovevi difendermi.

You had to defend me.

— È arrivata mia figlia! (2015)

Ma hai detto al telefono che dovevi uscire da questo posto proprio adesso.

But you said on the phone that you had to get out of this place right now.

— Una di famiglia (2025)

Forse dovevi riprenderla.

Maybe you should have taken it back.

— Tesis (1996)

Dovevi dirlo subito, James.

You should have said that right away, James.

— Il filo del ricatto - Dead Man's Wire (2026)

Circuito, dovevi scegliere proprio questo college in tutta Mumbai?!

Circuito, of all the colleges in Mumbai, did you really have to choose this one?!

— मुन्ना भाई एम बी बी एस (2003)

Dovevi farlo?

Did you have to do it?

— La grazia (2025)

So che dovevi farlo.

I know you had to do it.

Dovevi picchiarlo?

Did you have to hit him?

— Il suono intorno (2012)

Se volevi dei panini, dovevi andare da Granny’s.

If you wanted sandwiches, you should have gone to Granny’s.

Dovevi prepararti meglio.

You should have prepared better.

— Bullet Train (2022)

Dovevi scappare.

You had to escape.

— RRR (2022)

Ma dovevi venire prima.

But you should have come first.

— La vita va così (2025)

Tu dovevi condividere una camera da letto con i tuoi fratelli o sorelle?

Did you have to share a bedroom with your brothers or sisters?

Dovevi solo tirare.

You just had to shoot.

— The Host (2006)

Dovevi vedere la sua faccia.

You should have seen his face.

— मुन्ना भाई एम बी बी एस (2003)

Dovevi chiamarmi.

You should have called me.

— Amores perros (2000)

Dovevi dircelo prima.

You should have told us before.

— Lussuria - Seduzione e tradimento (2007)

Avevi detto che dovevi dirmi qualcosa.

You said you had something to tell me.

— No Other Choice - Non c'è altra scelta (2025)

Perché dovevi sposarti?

Why did you have to get married?

— Il labirinto del fauno (2006)

Dovevi dirmi di prendere la pistola.

You should have told me to get the gun.

— Bullet Train (2022)

Perché ancora mi dovevi conoscere!

Because you still had to get to know me!

— È stata la mano di Dio (2021)

Dovevi invitarci e sei sparita, guarda caso!

You were supposed to invite us and you disappeared, lo and behold!

— Lussuria - Seduzione e tradimento (2007)

Dovevi prendere i soldi e lasciarlo stare.

You should have taken the money and left him alone.

— Drive (2011)

Dovevi proseguire con quel pullman.

You were supposed to continue on that bus.

— Central do Brasil (1998)

Dovevi semplicemente averla.

You just had to have it.

— Ricchi... da morire - Delitti in famiglia (2026)

Dovevi telefonarmi.

You were supposed to call me.

— Mosca non crede alle lacrime (1980)

Dovevi andare da quello più lontano?

Did you have to go to the furthest one?

— Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Dovevi venire!

You should have come!

— Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)

Dovevi difendermi!

You were supposed to defend me!

— È arrivata mia figlia! (2015)

Allora, dovevi andartene stamani.

So, you were supposed to leave this morning.

— The Witch (2016)

Dovevi dirle che siamo occupate.

You should have told her that we were busy.

— Tutto su mia madre (1999)

Sono già passate, dovevi correre più forte.

They've already passed, you should have run faster.

— La vita è bella (1997)

Dovevi essere chiamato J.

You were supposed to be called J.

— Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)

Poi ho saputo che eravate a Pechino e che dovevi sposarti.

Then I found out that you were in Beijing and that you were going to get married.

— La tigre e il dragone (2000)

Quanto dovevi bere?

How much did you have to drink?

Dovevi morire.

You were supposed to die.

— Andhadhun (2018)

Ti ho detto che dovevi inviare più gente.

I told you you should have sent more people.

— Still Life (2006)

Dovevi prenotare per la cena.

You had to make reservations for dinner.

— Hollywood, Vermont (2000)

Bené, dovevi ammazzare Cenoura, ci sta fregando tutti.

Bené, you were supposed to kill Cenoura—he's screwing us all over.

— City of God (2002)

Ricordi che dovevi chiamare il dentista per fissare un appuntamento?

Remember having to call the dentist to make an appointment?

Dovevi rispondermi.

You should have answered me.

— Andhadhun (2018)

Ma dovevi svegliarmi per cena.

But you were supposed to wake me up for dinner.

— Vi presento Toni Erdmann (2016)

Dovevi solo concentrarti di più su moglie e figlia.

You just had to focus more on your wife and daughter.

— Mercy - Sotto accusa (2026)

Dovevi vedere la faccia di mia madre!

You should have seen my mother's face!

— Quando c'era Marnie (2014)

Dovevi chiamarmi prima, adesso è troppo tardi per cambiare.

You should have called me earlier, now it's too late to change.

M a eri tu che dovevi informare Dieyi della sostituzione, o no?

But were you the one who was supposed to inform Dieyi of the replacement, or not?

— Addio mia concubina (1993)

Ma comunque dovevi incontrarmi prima.

But you should have met me first anyway.

— Anatomia di una caduta (2023)

Dovevi difenderti!

You should have defended yourself!

— Dangal (2016)

Perché dovevi andare?

Why did you have to go?

Dovevi dirmelo.

You should have told me.

— Fight Club (1999)

verb · 2nd-person singular informal, imperfect tense Rare #31,785
owed Used with the person owed something, often introduced by a pronoun such as mi or gli.
IT: Mi dovevi una risposta.
EN: You owed me an answer.
had to, were supposed to In negative phrases, non dovevi can also mean “you shouldn’t have,” especially when thanking someone for a kind gesture.
IT: Dovevi chiamarmi prima.
EN: You were supposed to call me earlier.
Conjugation of dovere
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
Second dovevi —
Third doveva —

Ma non dovevi, ci aiutiamo a vicenda.

You didn't have to; we help each other.

— Un affare di famiglia (2018)

Quei soldi che ho preso, me li dovevi.

That money I took, you owed me.

— Marty Supreme (2025)

Glielo dovevi?

Did you owe him?

— Mercy - Sotto accusa (2026)

Non dovevi, Nadja!

You shouldn't have, Nadja!

— Ирония судьбы, или С легким паром! (1976)

Non dovevi, Charlie.

You didn't have to, Charlie.

— L'attimo fuggente (1989)

Fred, non dovevi!

Fred, you shouldn't have!

— Laurence Anyways e il desiderio di una donna... (2012)

Gli dovevi cosa?

What did you owe him?

— Mercy - Sotto accusa (2026)

Hai fatto quello che dovevi.

You did what you had to do.

— Tutto su mia madre (1999)

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