Dever in Portuguese: Should, Probably—or Owe?

Dever plus an infinitive can concern a responsibility

Caldas Aulete’s dever entry records owing something and modal meanings involving obligation, probability and appropriate action. The reference was checked on October 21, 2026.

• Você deve confirmar o horário antes de sair. — “You should confirm the time before leaving.”
• Devemos avisar o grupo sobre a mudança. — “We should tell the group about the change.”
• Quem deve enviar a mensagem? — “Who should send the message?”

The second verb stays in the infinitive: confirmar, avisar, enviar. Dever changes for the subject: devo with eu, deve with você and devemos with nós. The examples concern what someone should do, but the source of the responsibility still comes from the surrounding situation.

If a practical instruction matters, ask whether it is a requirement or a suggestion: É obrigatório ou é uma sugestão? — “Is it required, or is it a suggestion?” The verb alone cannot establish the rules of an actual organization or event.

A likely explanation is a different reading

• Ela deve estar em casa agora. — “She is probably at home now.”
• O café deve estar fechado a esta hora. — “The café is probably closed at this time.”
• Ele deve chegar mais tarde. — “He is expected to arrive later.”

These sentences estimate a state or event. They do not tell someone to stay home, close a café or arrive late. In the first two, estar introduces the state that the speaker thinks is likely. The third describes an expectation about arrival, which could still change.

A likely location is not a confirmed location. If you need to contact someone, check directly. For an uncertain arrival, ask Esse horário já foi confirmado? — “Has that time been confirmed?” This turns an interpretation into a useful follow-up instead of presenting it as a fact.

Deveria can make advice or an expectation more tentative

• Você deveria perguntar antes de reservar. — “You should ask before booking.”
• Eu deveria revisar o texto mais uma vez. — “I should review the text once more.”
• O encontro deveria começar às seis. — “The meeting was supposed to start at six.”

The last example may refer to an expected schedule, with context suggesting it did not happen that way or is in doubt. The first two suggest an appropriate action. Deveria does not have a single English translation independent of context.

For offering an idea with more room to decline, use que tal or eu tentaria. For an explicit need or have-to pattern, compare ter que and precisar. This guide addresses recognizing the multiple readings of dever, rather than replacing those practical patterns.

Original dialogue: owe an answer, then check an expectation

Devo uma resposta has a noun as its object: the speaker owes a reply. Devo conseguir uses an infinitive to express an expected possibility. The reply remains tentative. No reservation is confirmed in this exchange.

Owing money uses the same basic verb with a different object: Devo vinte reais ao meu amigo — “I owe my friend twenty reais.” This is a language example of a stated amount, not a calculation, payment instruction or claim about anyone’s actual finances.

Practice: responsibility, likelihood or something owed?

1. What is the likely meaning of ela deve estar em casa agora?
2. Complete Nós ___ avisar o grupo with dever in the present.
3. Translate ainda te devo uma resposta.
4. Does ele deve chegar às seis prove six is confirmed?
5. Ask whether an instruction is compulsory or a suggestion.

Continue with real conversation practice

Use the guide to putting sentence patterns into speech for a longer practice routine. These dialogues and exercises are original written examples. Choose one pattern, change a detail and ask a follow-up that fits your own situation.

Continue with Real Life Portuguese for native Brazilian audio and everyday expressions. Choose a short exchange available in the app. Listen for the speaker’s intention, then use a pattern from this activity to prepare a reply that fits your own situation. Bruno Lopes is a co-founder of the app.