Ch 27 · Lesson 10Spanish · Chapter 27 · Lesson 10 · Grammar primer
Deber de: the guess in words
means . Plain is an obligation: .
The short version
says the guess out loud
.
Why?Hide
plus an infinitive means the same as the future of probability: is , it must be three. Plain is an obligation: , you have to study. for an obligation is the mistake to avoid.
Deber de: the same guess in words
+ infinitive says "must" out loud, with the same meaning as the tense:
| The tense | Deber de | English |
|---|---|---|
. | . | It must be three. |
. | . | He/She must be at home. |
. | . | They must have been tired. |
. | . | He/She must have arrived by now. |
Plain , with no , is an obligation:
.- He/She must be at home (I reckon)..- You must study more (you have to).
The RAE also accepts plain for a guess ( .), so that is not wrong. The mistake is the reverse: for an obligation.
Mistakes English speakers make
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| . | . | is plural |
| . | . | a past guess takes the conditional |
| . | . | an obligation is plain |
Reading ¿ ? as "what time will it be?" is the other classic slip: with no future time in sight, it is a guess about now.
Going further: The four guesses on one screen and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
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8-question session
One question at a time, mixed across the exercises in this lesson. Miss one and it comes back round before the end.
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