Debes vs. deberías

Question

I often hear both forms on the radio… “las noticias que tú deberías saber” as well as “las noticias que debes saber” Can you explain the difference. When is it appropriate to use deber in the present tense to me (you should)

Accepted Answer

Hola Melinda
Deber in the present tense is used when what you want to say is "must" and Deber in the conditional tense is used for "should". Deber is a modal verb that can be used in different tenses. For example:

Debo ir al médico pronto.
I must to to the doctor soon.
Debes saber la verdad.
You must know the truth.
Debería ir al médico pronto.
I should go to the doctor soon.
Deberías saber la verdad.
You should know the truth.

Saludos
Inma