owe

deber

Tener que pagar dinero o dar algo a alguien por algo recibido.

En inglés sencillo: To need to pay money or give something to someone because you have received something from them.

• I owe you ten pounds.
• She owes money to the bank.
• How much do we owe for dinner?

Cómo se usa: owe someone something (I owe my brother twenty euros.); owe something to someone (She owes three hundred pounds to her landlord.)

Sinónimos: be liable for

Expresiones frecuentes: owe someone money, owe rent, owe something to someone

deber, estar en deuda con

Sentir que debes corresponder a alguien con dinero, ayuda o un favor.

En inglés sencillo: To feel you must repay someone with money, help, or a favour.

• Thanks for helping; I owe you one.
• She felt she owed him for his kindness.
• You saved my evening, and I really owe you.

Cómo se usa: owe someone for something (I owe you for all your help.)

Sinónimos: be indebted to

Expresiones frecuentes: owe someone, owe someone one, owe someone for something

deber

Tener algo bueno en la vida gracias a una persona o una cosa.

En inglés sencillo: To have someone or something to thank for something good in your life.

• I owe my success to my parents.
• She owes a lot to her first teacher.
• He owed his life to the rescue team.

Cómo se usa: owe something to someone/something (She owes her career to years of practice.)

Sinónimos: be indebted to

Expresiones frecuentes: owe everything to someone, owe someone a lot, owe success to someone

deber

Tener la obligación de dar algo a alguien o de hacer algo por esa persona.

En inglés sencillo: To have a duty to give someone something or do something for them.

• You owe her an apology.
• We owe our children a safe home.
• I felt I owed him an explanation.

Cómo se usa: owe someone something (They owe us an explanation.); owe it to someone to do something (We owe it to our children to protect the forests.)

Expresiones frecuentes: owe someone an apology, owe someone respect, owe it to someone

deberse a

Existir o suceder como resultado de algo.

En inglés sencillo: To be caused by, or exist because of, something.

• The film’s appeal owes much to its music.
• The delay owed to a shortage of staff.
• Their success owes partly to careful planning.

Cómo se usa: owe to something (The town’s growth owes to its excellent transport links.)

Sinónimos: result from, stem from

Expresiones frecuentes: owe to something, owe much to something

tener deudas

Tener deudas que todavía debes pagar.

En inglés sencillo: To have debts that you still need to pay.

• I cannot borrow more while I still owe.
• She owes heavily after buying the farm.
• Even after selling everything, they still owed.

Sinónimos: be in debt

Expresiones frecuentes: still owe, owe heavily