Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): Debo planchar la camisa antes de la entrevista. - I must iron the shirt before the interview.

bold Debo bold = I must/I ought to. Often sounds stronger or more formal/moral.
bold Tengo que bold = I have to. This is the most common, natural choice in everyday speech in Spain.
bold Hay que bold = One must/it’s necessary (impersonal, no subject). Use it for general necessity, not for a personal obligation.

Does bold debo bold mean “I should” or “I must”?

Primarily “I must/I ought to” (a firm obligation). For a softer “I should,” use bold debería bold: bold Debería planchar la camisa… bold.

Can I say bold Debo de planchar la camisa bold?

Not for obligation. bold Deber de + infinitive bold expresses probability: bold Debe de estar en casa bold (He must be at home). bold Debo de planchar la camisa bold would mean “I probably iron the shirt,” which is odd. For obligation, use bold deber + infinitive bold: bold Debo planchar… bold. For deduction about the past: bold Debo de haber planchado la camisa bold = I must have ironed the shirt.

Why is bold planchar bold in the infinitive after bold debo bold?

After modal-type verbs (bold deber bold, bold poder bold, bold querer bold), Spanish uses the infinitive: bold Debo planchar… bold, bold Puedo planchar… bold. You do not conjugate the second verb.

Can I replace bold la camisa bold with a pronoun? Where does it go?

Yes, use the direct object pronoun bold la bold:

Before the conjugated verb: bold La debo planchar antes de la entrevista. bold
Attached to the infinitive: bold Debo plancharla antes de la entrevista. bold Both are correct. With negation: bold No la debo planchar bold / bold No debo plancharla bold. For topicalization you may also hear bold La camisa la debo planchar bold (object + clitic doubling), but that’s more advanced.

Why is it bold la camisa bold and not bold mi camisa bold?

Spanish often uses the definite article with clothing and body parts when the possessor is clear from context. If it’s obviously your shirt (you’re preparing for your interview), bold la camisa bold is natural. Use bold mi camisa bold if you need to stress whose shirt it is. You may also hear a reflexive to mark personal involvement: bold Debo plancharme la camisa bold. It’s acceptable, though the simple bold planchar la camisa bold is the most neutral.

Why is it bold antes de la entrevista bold and not bold antes la entrevista bold?

Because bold antes bold requires bold de bold before a noun or an infinitive: bold antes de la entrevista bold, bold antes de salir bold. bold Antes bold by itself is an adverb meaning “earlier/before” and cannot take a noun directly.

When do I use bold antes de que bold with the subjunctive?

Use bold antes de que + subjunctive bold before a full clause: bold Debo planchar la camisa antes de que empiece la entrevista. bold If you use a noun or an infinitive (often when the subject is the same as the main verb), use bold antes de bold: bold antes de la entrevista bold, bold antes de salir bold.

Why is it bold de la entrevista bold and not bold del entrevista bold?

bold Entrevista bold is feminine. bold De + la bold does not contract. The contraction bold del bold only happens with bold de + el bold (masculine singular).

Can I front the time phrase: bold Antes de la entrevista, debo planchar la camisa bold?

Yes. Adverbial time phrases can go at the start for emphasis or flow. A comma is fine. Default order (neutral) is bold Debo planchar la camisa antes de la entrevista bold.

How would I say “I have to iron it” or “I will have to iron it”?

Present necessity: bold La tengo que planchar bold / bold Tengo que plancharla bold.
Future necessity: bold La tendré que planchar bold / bold Tendré que plancharla bold. Using bold deber bold in the future (bold Deberé plancharla bold) sounds formal or bookish.

If I say bold No debo planchar la camisa bold, is that “must not” or “don’t have to”?

bold No debo… bold means “I must not/shouldn’t” (prohibition/advice). For “I don’t have to,” use bold No tengo que planchar la camisa bold (lack of obligation).

Could I say bold antes de planchando bold?

No. After prepositions, Spanish uses the infinitive, not the gerund. Say bold antes de planchar bold.

Should it be bold camisa bold or bold camiseta bold?

In Spain:

bold Camisa bold = a button-up/dress shirt (what you typically iron for an interview).
bold Camiseta bold = T‑shirt. You can iron it, but bold camisa bold fits the interview context better.

Is bold planchar bold only for clothes? Any useful collocations?

Mostly for ironing clothes/cloth:

bold planchar la ropa / la camisa / los pantalones bold
bold la plancha bold (the iron)
bold ropa planchada bold (ironed clothes) Also used with hair: bold plancharse el pelo bold (to straighten hair), especially in Spain.

Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?

In bold debo bold, the b is a soft, between-vowels sound.
bold ch bold in bold planchar bold = English “ch” in “church.”
Stress: DE-bo plan-CHAR la ca-MI-sa AN-tes de la en-tre-VIS-ta.
Final bold r bold in bold planchar bold is a single tap.