Conditional.
- Mi devus (paroli), se ... = I should have to, or, be obliged to (speak), if ...
- Mi estus devinta (paroli), se ... = I should have had to, or, have been obliged to (speak), if ...
Conditional (softened sense).
- Vi devus (paroli) = You ought to, or, you should (speak, or, have spoken).
- Vi devus (esti parolinta) = You ought to have, or, you should have (spoken).
N.B.—Do not use devi for "were to," when no obligation is implied. Note the difference in meaning in the following sentences:—Se ili venus, mi vidus ilin = If (supposing) they were to come (if they came), I would see them. Ili devis veni la lastan semajnon, sed io malhelpis ilin = They were to (have) come last week, but something prevented them.
Also do not use devi for "am to," "was to," etc., when these words express not "obligation," but "purpose" or "intention." For instance, "Are you to speak at the meeting?" may mean either (1) "Do you intend to (Shall you) speak?" or, (2) "Have you to (Must you) speak?" So we translate (1) Ĉu vi intencas paroli (Ĉu vi parolos) ĉe la kunveno? or, (2) Ĉu vi devos paroli ĉe la kunveno? In such a phrase as "You are to do that" the obligation is clear, so we say Vi devas tion fari.
Further, do not use devi in translating such a sentence as "The man must be a fool," which is La viro sendube estas malsaĝulo, not, devas esti ...
Kuŝi.
237 (b). Kuŝi = to lie, to be situated, is sometimes used to denote anything in a state of rest, or in a recumbent position. It has, therefore, also the meaning of "to be."
Examples.—La krajono kuŝas sur la libro = The pencil lies (is) on the book. La libroj kuŝas sur la breto = The books are (lie) on the shelf.