Quote:
Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar
There are no automatic translations, but I agree with Hernán that "debería" is a good one for this kind of sentences.
It's late. I should be finishing my work by now.
Es tarde. Ya debería de estar terminando mi trabajo.
You shouldn't be so rude.
No deberías ser tan grosero.
@Poli: Thank you. 
Just a little note: it's not only "deber de" + haberse...
El teléfono suena. Debe de ser Juan.
The telephone is ringing. It must be Juan.
Son las siete. La tienda ya debe de estar cerrada.
It's already seven o'clock. The store must be already closed. |
Hi Malila. I was also confused by the "must have been" construction and I posted the question in another thread. David answered:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomisimo
Learn this construction and you'll be fine:
El cuarto debió estar muy sucio porque cuando salió estaba lleno de polvo.
The room must have been really dirty because when she came out she was covered with dust.
So...
must have been = deber (in preterit) + estar (infinitive)
I must have been crazy ... = debí estar loco ...
|
Are these just different approaches to saying the same thing?
Thanks