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Thread: "should have"???

 
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    Hi, I am very confused about something... I have studied spanish for a while now and I dont understand how to say "should have" as in "I should have brought the keys" The native speakers say "yo hubiera traido las llaves" but it doesnt make sense to me, because "hubiera" means "I would have" along with "habria" whats the difference between "hubiera" and "habria" and how do you know how to seperate the two? For example "I wouldn't have been late but there was traffic" how would you tranlate that..

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    Quote Originally Posted by nickdisipio
    Hi, I am very confused about something... I have studied spanish for a while now and I dont understand how to say "should have" as in "I should have brought the keys" The native speakers say "yo hubiera traido las llaves"
    Hi Nick:

    The correct translation for this sentence would be:

    Debería haber traído las llaves.

    Debería: should

    For example "I wouldn't have been late but there was traffic" how would you translate that..
    No hubiera llegado tarde pero había mucho tráfico.

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    Quote Originally Posted by nickdisipio
    Hi, I am very confused about something... I have studied spanish for a while now and I dont understand how to say "should have" as in "I should have brought the keys" The native speakers say "yo hubiera traido las llaves" but it doesnt make sense to me, because "hubiera" means "I would have" along with "habria" whats the difference between "hubiera" and "habria" and how do you know how to seperate the two? For example "I wouldn't have been late but there was traffic" how would you tranlate that..
    hi, nickdisipio

    the two verb forms you ask about are REALLY a problem for many Spanish speakers... so don't feel bad. the difference may be explained with a conditional sentence of the "impossible" type (something that cannot be changed because it already took place), and the different position each form takes:

    e.g.:
    If I had known you were not home, I would have brought the keys" (to use your words)
    = Si hubiera sabido que no estabas en casa (the condition), habría traído las llaves (the action taken in consequence)

    But I repeat, it's a common mistake for many Spanish speakers to use "hubiera" (subjuntivo) both in the condition-clause and in the consequence-clause...

    hope I helped!
    laura (a fan of Grammar!!!)
    Last edited by lauracipolla; 05-08-2008 at 06:29 PM.

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    Senior Member mem286's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lauracipolla
    But I repeat, it's a common mistake for many Spanish speakers to use "hubiera" (subjuntivo) both in the condition-clause and in the consequence-clause...

    I think the common mistake in spanish is to use the conditional in both sentences, ex. Si podría lo haría, where it should be "Si pudiera o pudiese lo haría". Unfortunatly, it's very common and accepted.

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    Thanks for asking that question Nick!

    Ah, bueno, dos, disculpe, tres de mis profesoras aquí en el mismo hilo! Estupendo!
    Gracias damas, por las lecciones. También tengo problemas con hubiera y habría.
    Last edited by vicente; 05-08-2008 at 07:50 PM.
    vicente

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    I agree, Mem. Those you mention are very typical! They're the "probable"-type conditional sentences (subjunctive in the condition [= past form in English] + conditional in the consequence-clause).

    I should have mentioned before that the "impossible" conditional sentences take perfect forms for subjunctive + conditional (hubiera ido/venido, etc. + habría ido/venido, etc)

    In any case, I agree it's a disgrace so many people make that mistake but worse that it's SOOOOOOOO accepted. :-(

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    I also wanted to mention to "our student" vicente ( ) and nick, that in spain , in the north, it is actually a habit to use habría for everything:

    Me imagino que yo lo habría sabido igual.

    Creo que yo no habría ido.

    Mirad esta anécdota simpática:

    ¿Es correcto habría? En la zona Norte de España se utiliza comúnmente esta forma en lugar de las otras dos. Yo también lo hago, a veces, porque nací en esa zona. Incorrecta, pero existe y se usa. Es un regionalismo.
    Un día de los muchos, mi madre que es riojana de Haro dijo : "Si yo sería catalana... " Mi mujer y yo nos echamos a reir cariñosamente y ella muy seria dijo: " ¿De qué os reís? ¿Creéis que no lo sé? Fuera, fuese o sería. "
    Así que ya ves que, a pesar de ser diferentes tiempos verbales, los hablantes de esa zona los consideran igual.

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    thanks so much, your answers are very helpfull, I have been using "hubiera" to say "should have" for a while just from asking native speakers. For example, I asked my mexican friend how to say "i should have brought the key's" and he told me, "yo hubiera traido las llaves". Is it possible he just thought I asked him "I WOULD have brought the keys" ?? I have been using "hubiera" for a year now for "should have" like when I play domino's with girlfriends family which are Puerto Rican's, I would say "tu no hubieras puesto" to my domino partner for "you shouldnt have put that" what was I actually saying to him?

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    Quote Originally Posted by nickdisipio
    "i should have brought the key's" and he told me, "yo hubiera traido las llaves". Is it possible he just thought I asked him "I WOULD have brought the keys" ??
    I don't know if your friend's English is very proficient But he should have said:

    Debería haber traído mis llaves.

    Hubiera tríado las llaves: I would have brought the keys.

    Probably he meant:

    si solo hubiera traído las llaves!!!

    If only I had brought the keys...!!

    I have been using "hubiera" for a year now for "should have" like when I play domino's with girlfriends family which are Puerto Rican's, I would say "tu no hubieras puesto" to my domino partner for "you shouldnt have put that" what was I actually saying to him?
    The thing with friends: they think if they correct you all the time you will be annoyed or sad. So they don't !!

    You actually used would , not should:

    hubieras puesto: would have put

    Tú no hubieras puesto esto: you wouldn't have put this!

    I am sure your partner understood all right, but really, the sentence was quite wrong.

    You must use

    should = debería

    You should put that: Deberías poner esto

    You should have put that: deberías haber puesto esto

    If you are referring to a action in the past, you must use the compound form. (like in your example)

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    Thanks for clearing that up!!!

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