me debes
/me debes/from spelling rules
The English phrase "you owe me" is translated into Spanish as me debes.
This phrase is used to tell someone that they need to pay you back for money or a favor.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me debes literally means "to me you owe". It is composed of the indirect object pronoun me (to me) and the second-person singular conjugation of deber (to owe/must).
Which one should you use?
Me debes is used with friends, family or people you address as 'tú'. If you are speaking to someone formally using 'usted', you must change the verb to me debe. If the owed object is feminine, you can say Me la debes (You owe it to me).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, it is common to say Me debés instead of Me debes. In Mexico, you might hear the expression Me estás debiendo among friends.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address a group of people, use the plural form me deben.
How do you pronounce it?
/me debes/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, saying Me debes un beso or 'You owe me a kiss' is a common, playful way to flirt. It is often used after a compliment or a small favor to suggest a romantic reward.
- The word deber is a linguistic double agent. While it means 'to owe' in the context of money, it is also the standard verb used to express 'must' or 'should' when talking about obligations.
- While Me debes is a direct way to state a debt, the idiom estar en deuda is used to describe a profound sense of gratitude. It describes a feeling of being so thankful that a simple repayment is impossible.
Examples in context
- No me debes nada.You owe me nothing.This sentence shows how to say you owe nothing.Tatoeba #3950150 by gianich73, translation #3286795 by CK
- Me debes una cerveza.You owe me a beer.This sentence is used to say someone owes you a beer.Tatoeba #3562601 by ficion, translation #3331102 by CK
- Creo que me debes un beso.I think you owe me a kiss.This sentence is used to say someone owes you a kiss.Tatoeba #10361894 by Seael, translation #6566668 by Hybrid
- Usted me debe dineroYou owe me money
- Me debes el libroYou owe me the book
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo is asking Sofía for the money he lent her.
- SofíaMateo, ¿me prestaste diez euros?Mateo, did you lend me ten euros?
- MateoSí, Sofía, me debes diez euros.Yes, Sofía, you owe me ten euros.
- SofíaLo siento, lo olvidé por completo.I'm sorry, I forgot completely.
- MateoNo pasa nada, págame mañana.It's okay, pay me tomorrow.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
