This is the 4834th most frequent Spanish word.
debía
"Debía" means "had to" or "was supposed to."
In this example, "debía" conveys a past duty or commitment that was planned or expected.
Nosotros debíamos ayudar con la limpieza, pero se nos hizo tarde.
We were supposed to help with the cleaning, but we ran late.
Here, "debía" indicates an expectation or necessity in the past based on circumstances.
Él debía llegar temprano al trabajo debido a la reunión importante.
He was supposed to arrive early to work because of the important meeting.
In this sentence, "debía" is used to express an obligation or requirement in the past that was not necessarily fulfilled.