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BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE VERB

dever

should, ought to

  • #17 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Gerund: devendo
  • Past participle: devido

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. eu I should
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you should
  3. nós we should
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all should

Past

Pretérito Perfeito · finished actions

  1. eu I should have
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you should have
  3. nós we should have
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all should have

Future

Futuro com ir · plans: “going to”

  1. eu I should
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you should
  3. nós we should
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all should

Imperfect

Pretérito Imperfeito · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. eu I should have
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you should have
  3. nós we should have
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all should have

Conditional

Futuro do Pretérito · “would”

  1. eu I should
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you should
  3. nós we should
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all should

Present subjunctive

Presente do Subjuntivo · wishes, doubts, “que …”

  1. eu (that) I should
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente (that) you should
  3. nós (that) we should
  4. vocês, eles, elas (that) you all should

Past subjunctive

Imperfeito do Subjuntivo · “if I were”, “se …”

  1. eu (if) I should have
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente (if) you should have
  3. nós (if) we should have
  4. vocês, eles, elas (if) you all should have

Future subjunctive

Futuro do Subjuntivo · “when” and “if” about the future

  1. eu (when) I should
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente (when) you should
  3. nós (when) we should
  4. vocês, eles, elas (when) you all should

Imperative

Imperativo · requests and orders

  1. você
  2. vocês

How to use dever

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Você deve descansar um pouco hoje.

    You should rest a little today.

  2. Past

    Meu irmão deveu dinheiro ao banco por anos.

    My brother owed money to the bank for years.

  3. Future

    Você vai dever um favor pra mim depois disso.

    You're going to owe me a favor after this.

  4. Imperfect

    Eu devia ter ligado pra minha mãe ontem.

    I should have called my mom yesterday.

  5. Conditional

    Você deveria experimentar a comida baiana.

    You should try Bahian food.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Talvez a gente deva sair mais cedo.

    Maybe we should leave earlier.

  7. Past subjunctive

    Se você devesse dinheiro, eu te ajudaria.

    If you owed money, I would help you.

  8. Future subjunctive

    Se eu dever alguma coisa, me avisa.

    If I owe anything, let me know.

  9. Imperative

    Não deva nada a ninguém, filho.

    Don't owe anything to anyone, son.

Good to know

  • "Dever" also means to owe: "Eu te devo dez reais."
  • "Deve" plus a verb can also mean "probably is": "Ela deve estar em casa."

Where you hear dever

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Brazilian Portuguese · Beginner Level 3

  • Você deve descansar. You must rest.
  • Eu devia ter ligado. I should have called.
  • Amanhã você deverá entregar o projeto. Tomorrow you will have to deliver the project.

Brazilian Portuguese · Intermediate Level 2

  • O Daniel deve chegar às duas. Daniel should arrive at two.
  • Eu devia ter ligado antes. I should have called earlier.
  • Você vai me dever um café! You're going to owe me a coffee!
6
You Should See the Sunset

Beginner Level 3 · você deveria · vocês deveriam

Needs a subscription 23
It Was My Fault

Beginner Level 3 · eu devia

Needs a subscription 22
By the Wedding, We'll Have Become One Family

Intermediate Level 2 · devem

Needs a subscription 29
Come Back Soon

Intermediate Level 2 · devo

Needs a subscription 16
It Was Supposed to Be Ready Yesterday

Intermediate Level 3 · deveria

Needs a subscription 21
It Hasn't Sunk In Yet

Intermediate Level 3 · vocês devem

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -er verb.