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Debe vs. Debe de

 

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Old May 14, 2009, 08:44 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by poli View Post
It's back to presciptive and discriptive grammar.
I have heard deber de sentences where it clearly meant "should" rather than strong "have to", and I never paid attention to it until these posts. It makes sense to me that deber without the de is much more imperative.

Just read these two examples, and you will pick up the fine difference in meaning.
Debo ir al médico. (I have a lump on the side of my neck)
Debo de ir al médico (It's been a year)

Thanks to the person who asked the question, and thanks to all who responded.

Poli:

There isn't, or at lest there shouldn't be a prescriptive or descriptive grammar. (today we have a dynamic Spanish frame of mind)

Grammar if anything is prescriptive and that's that.

En chile, incluso al presidente lo escuché decir "mas menos" en vez de decir " mas o menos". El hecho que lo haya dicho el presidente de la república no lo hace menos mal dicho.

En español tenemos la RAE. Aquella entidad dictamina el uso. Si decide incluir el uso que se le da a una palabra, se incluye. Si no esta aceptada una palabra, entonces esta mal dicho.

If a word is going to be accepted because the population's willingness to use it freely, then it is accepted.
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deber, deber de, deber de haber, haber

 

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