20.3.5 deber with room for manoeuvre

If there is room for manoeuvre in Spanish (deber) as well as in English (shall / should) is used.

  Example

correct: Debe(ría) ir a Francia, pero se va a Italia.
correct: He shall / should go to France, but he goes to Italy.

incorrect: Tiene que ir a Francia, pero se va a Italia.
incorrect: He has to go to France, but he goes to Italy

correct: Tendría* que ir a Francia, pero se va a Italia.
correct: He should go to France, but he goes to Italy.


* There is no conjunctive form (at least none that is used in that way) of to have to therefore it is translated with he should go... More about the conjunctive forms of deber and tener que is discussed in chapter 20.7.






contact privacy statement imprint