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-   -   What/When/How Was I Supposed to...... (http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=25435)

Bobbert July 12, 2020 10:31 PM

What/When/How Was I Supposed to......
 
There are probably many ways to say the following, but are any of the ones below correct? Using "suponerse" comes to my mind first and foremost, so I would like to use a similar construction if possible so it will come to my mind when speaking.

Are any of these viable options?

What was I supposed to have done?
¿Qué se supone que debía haber hecho?
¿Qué se suponía que debía haber hecho?



When was I supposed to have gone?
¿Cuándo se supone que debía haber ido?
¿Cuándo se suponía que debía haber ido?



How was I supposed to have known?
¿Cómo se supone que debía haber sabido?
¿Cómo se suponía que debía haber sabido?


All input and explanations are appreciated.

Tomisimo July 13, 2020 05:17 PM

Okay, I'll bite. These are not necessarily 100% correct.
What was I supposed to have done?
¿Qué es lo que se supone que (yo) tenía que haber hecho?

When was I supposed to have gone?
¿A qué hora se supone que (yo) tenía que haber ido?

How was I supposed to have known?
¿Cómo se supone que (yo) tenía que haberlo sabido?
It seems to me that the "to have <past participle>" could often be the simple present in English, with essentially the same meaning. In other words, these are almost the same in meaning:
What was I supposed to have done? == What was I supposed to do?
I think the Spanish version could also be simplified along those lines:
What was I supposed to do?
¿Qué es lo que se supone que tenía que hacer?

When was I supposed to go?
¿A qué hora se supone que tenía que ir?

How was I supposed to know?
¿Cómo se supone que tenía que saber?
A few other notes in no particular order.
  1. "When" can be "a qué hora", "cuándo", or "en qué momento", depending on context.
  2. There are other ways to say similar things without "suponerse."
  3. It might also be approriate to change the "tener que" to "deber" or "deber de."

Bobbert July 14, 2020 01:26 PM

Thank you for the input, Tomisimo. I'll work with your initial suggestions and see what sticks for me.

AngelicaDeAlquezar July 15, 2020 08:36 PM

Both, your proposals and Tomísimo's work well for the context. :)

Bobbert July 16, 2020 06:49 PM

Thank you, AngelicaDeAlquezar.


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