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debías

were supposed to, had to, you were supposed to, you should have

d e ˈb i a s → deber
deb owe; must + ías tú imperfect
auxiliary · singular · imperfect indicative Uncommon #14,038
were supposed to, had to Imperfect tense (tú): often used for obligations in the past, or for something that was expected to happen.
SP: Debías llamar ayer, pero se te olvidó.
EN: You were supposed to call yesterday, but you forgot.
Conjugation of deber
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
Third — debían
debíadebíasdebíamos

Debías haber nacido hombre.

You should have been born a man.

— Cuando pasan las cigüeñas (1957)

Te dije que debías ser más cuidadoso.

I told you that you should be more careful.

— Guardianes de la noche (2004)

No debías haber venido tan pronto.

You shouldn't have come so soon.

Alfred, ¿no crees que debías quitarte la insignia?

Alfred, don't you think you should take off the badge?

— El tambor de hojalata (1979)

Hace tiempo que debías de estar en la cama.

You should have been in bed a long time ago.

Hiciste lo que debías hacer.

You did what you had to do.

Tú también debías haber pensado.

You must have thought that too.

— Moscú no cree en las lágrimas (1980)

Debías venir aquí.

You should have come here.

— Uno de los nuestros (1990)

No debías oírme.

You shouldn't have listened to me.

— Roofman: Un ladrón en el tejado (2025)

Creí que debías saberlo.

I thought you should know.

Debías haber leído el libro.

You should have read the book.

No debías estar en el show esta noche, ¿no?

You weren't supposed to be on the show tonight, were you?

— La gran enfermedad del amor (2017)

Dentro, hiciste lo que debías hacer.

Inside, you did what you were supposed to do.

— Uno de los nuestros (1990)

Ya te dije que no debías comer.

I already told you that you shouldn't eat.

— El salario del miedo (1953)

Pensé que debías saberlo.

I thought you should know.

Debías usar los calzones largos.

You were supposed to wear long johns.

— Thirst (2009)

No debías haberlo hecho.

You shouldn't have done it.

— Todo sobre mi madre (1999)

Además, no debías haber dicho que la droga era tuya.

Also, you shouldn't have said the drugs were yours.

— Tropa de élite 2 (2010)

Se suponía que debías deshacerte del bebé en esa condición.

You were supposed to get rid of the baby in that condition.

— Broker (2022)

No, que debías meter la cabeza bajo tierra.

No, you should have buried your head in the ground.

— Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Te dije que no debías venir aquí.

I told you that you shouldn't come here.

— El regreso (2003)

Debías dejar tu orgullo a un lado e ir a verlo.

You had to put your pride aside and go see him.

— Moscú no cree en las lágrimas (1980)

Debías vigilar los dulces de coco para el cumpleaños de Issac.

You had to keep an eye on the coconut sweets for Isaac's birthday.

— El engaño (2026)

No debías preguntar eso.

You shouldn't have asked that.

verb · second singular · imperfect indicative Rare #39,288
you were supposed to, you should have Imperfect tense of "deber"; often expresses obligation in the past.
SP: Debías llamarme ayer.
EN: You were supposed to call me yesterday.
Conjugation of deber
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First debía —
Second debías —
Third debía —
Subjunctive imperfect
SingularPlural
First debía —
Second debías —
Third debía —
debiera

Dijiste algo que no debías, Cornelius.

You said something you shouldn't have, Cornelius.

— El jardín de los pecadores: Paradigma paradoja (Paradoja espiral) (2008)

Ese dinero que tomé, me lo debías.

You owed me that money I took.

— Marty Supreme (2025)

Has acabado haciendo algo que no debías.

You've ended up doing something you shouldn't have.

— Carandiru (2003)

Oye, ¿no me debías dinero?

Hey, didn't you owe me money?

— American Gangster (2007)

Hiciste lo que debías.

You did what you had to do.

— American Gangster (2007)

Te metiste con quien no debías.

You messed with the wrong person.

— El hombre sin pasado (2010)

Sounds similar to

debían d e ˈb i a n decías d e ˈθ i a s