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ellos debieron

must have, should have

d e ˈb j e ɾ o n → deber
deb owe; must + ieron third-person plural preterite
auxiliary · 3rd-person plural, past tense Uncommon #17,201
must have, should have With an infinitive, can express a strong assumption about the past (“must have”) or an obligation that was not fulfilled (“should have”).
SP: Debieron llegar temprano.
EN: They must have arrived early.
Conjugation of deber
Indicative past
SingularPlural
First debí debimos
Second debiste —
Third debió debieron

Debieron haber pensado que era Supermán.

They must have thought he was Superman.

— Picnic (1955)

Debieron conectar por fuera.

They must have connected outside.

— El jardín de los pecadores 5: Paradoja espiral (2008)

Debieron mover las escaleras según el elevador.

They should have moved the stairs according to the elevator.

— El jardín de los pecadores 5: Paradoja espiral (2008)

Pero hicieron algo que no debieron hacer, mataron gente.

But they did something they shouldn’t have done: they killed people.

— Bacurau (2019)

Ustedes no debieron escribir eso.

You shouldn't have written that.

Ellas nunca debieron de quedarse en esa casa.

They should never have stayed in that house.

— El Infierno (2010)

Gracias, chicos, pero no debieron hacer eso.

Thanks, guys, but you shouldn't have done that.

— It (Eso) (2017)

Debieron haberte puesto una multa.

They should have given you a fine.

Es impresionante; te debieron haber dado el premio.

That's impressive; you should have won the award.

Debieron haberla borrado de los registros.

They must have erased her from the records.

Sonó la alarma y todos debieron evacuar.

The alarm sounded and everyone had to evacuate.

Ustedes debieron haber seguido el consejo de Mary.

You should have followed Mary's advice.

Debieron de haber pasado ya.

They must have already passed.

— Madre (2009)

Debieron oírnos.

They should have listened to us.

— El Canto del Lobo (2019)

Debieron ir a la recepción.

They should have gone to the reception.

— La Escafandra Y La Mariposa (2007)

Debieron haberse enterado, papá.

They should have found out, Dad.

— Song Sung Blue: Sueño inquebrantable (2025)

Ellos debieron haber tenido una mente noble.

They must have had a noble mind.

Dijiste que habían construido algo que no debieron construir.

You said they built something they shouldn't have built.

Debieron escucharlo en algún lado.

They must have heard it somewhere.

— El jardín de los pecadores 5: Paradoja espiral (2008)

Tampoco sus padres debieron casarse.

Their parents shouldn't have gotten married either.

— 3 Idiotas (2009)

Debieron ponerlo los chicos.

The boys should have put it there.

— Perfectos desconocidos (2016)

Debieron largarse de aquí hace mucho tiempo.

They should have left here a long time ago.

No debieron haber gastado tanto dinero en su pasatiempo.

They shouldn't have spent so much money on their hobby.

Debieron haberte cambiado primero antes de salir.

They should have changed you first before leaving.

— Dos Hermanas (2003)