Phrase · 😔 Regrets and reproaches
Debería haber leído las instrucciones antes de empezar.
I should have read the instructions before starting.
B2regretting reproachingAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Debería1verbI shoulddeber · conditional · 1st sing.haber1verbhaveinfinitiveleído2verbreadleer · participle · past · masc. · sing.lasdeterminertheel · fem. · pl. · definiteinstruccionesnouninstructionsinstrucción · fem. · pl.antesadverbbeforedepreposition(before)empezarverbstartinginfinitive.
- Debería → haber: obj
- leído → instrucciones: obj
- instrucciones → las: agree
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1Debería haber + participle = I should have…: in the yo form it's a self-reproach about the past. Past unreal conditions: pluperfect subjunctive and conditional perfect →
- 2leído has a written accent so that e-í stays two syllables. Present perfect: forms and experiential uses →
Variations
- Tendría que haber leído las instrucciones antes de empezar.
- Debí leer las instrucciones antes de empezar.