A/V-았/었어야 했는데 grammar = 'I should have done' ~regret something should have done but did not

L02.83 A/V-았/었어야 했는데 grammar = 'I should have done' ~regret something should have done but did not.

Usage:

- Regret that a necessary action should have been done but did not = 'I should have done' in English

- A/V-았/었어야 했는데 grammar is similar to V-(으)ㄹ걸 그랬다 grammar, but they are different as follows:
  + A/V-았/었어야 했는데 = regret something should have done but did not.

  + V-(으)ㄹ걸 그랬다 = regret not doing something better than what was actually done

Tense:

1. Positive statement (긍정) : A/V-았/었어야 했는데

작다 -- 작았어야 했는데
가다 -- 갔어야 했는데
먹다 -- 먹었어야 했는데
말하다 -- 말했어야 했는데

2. Negative statement (부정): A-지 않았어야 했는데 ;  V-지 말았어야 했는데

가다 -- 가지 말았어야 했는데
먹다 -- 먹지 말았어야 했는데
바쁘다 -- 바쁘지 않았어야 했는데
말하다 -- 말하지 말았어야 했는데

Examples:

1. 토니 씨, 책의 내용을 요약해 보세요.
- 잘 모르겠습니다. 선생님. 책을 미리 읽었어야 했는데 죄송합니다.

Tony, please summarize the contents of the book.
- Teacher, I don’t know it. I should have read the book in advance, I am sorry.

2. 안나 씨, 왜 그렇게 화가 났어요?
- 제가 안나 씨한테 뚱뚱해 보인다고 했거든요. 그런 말하지 말았어야 했는데 후회가 돼요.

Why is Anna so angry?
- I told her that she looked fat. I shouldn’t have said such a thing, and now I regret it.

3.  이사한 집에 너무 문제가 많다면서요?
- 네, 집을 계약하기 전에 꼼꼼하게 살펴봤어야 했는데...

I heard that you are having many problems with your new home?
- Yes, we should have inspected the house carefully before signing the contract...

4. 수지 씨, 왜 보고서에 틀린 게 많아요?
- 선생님, 죄송합니다. 제가 다시 한번 확인했어야 했는데 안 했더니 틀린 게 많은 것 같습니다.

Suzy, why are there many mistakes in the report?
- I'm sorry, teacher. I should have checked it once more, but I didn't, so there were many mistakes.

5. 아이들에게 줄 크리스마스 선물 샀어요?
- 아니요, 오늘 가니까 선물이 다 팔렸더라고요. 미리 사러 갔어야 했는데…

Did you buy Christmas gifts to give the kids?
- No I didn't.  I went today but they were all sold out. I should have bought them earlier…

6. 어제 옷을 따뜻하게 입었어야 했는데 얇게 입고 나갔더니 감기에 걸렸어요.

Yesterday I should have worn warmly, but I wore lightly and went out, so I caught a cold.

7. 어제 집들이 잘했어요?
- 음식을 맵지 않게 만들었어야 했는데 너무 매워서 친구들이 못 먹었어요.

Was your welcome-home party going well yesterday ?
- I should have made foods not spicy, but I made it very spicy and my friends couldn't eat.

8. 세일 기간 때문에 어제 사러 갔어야 했는데 오늘 갔더니 다 팔렸더라고요.

Because of sale time, I should have gone to buy it yesterday,  but I went today and they are all sold out.

9. 지난 번 산 책이 너무 어려워서 못 읽어요. 내 수준에 맞는 책을 샀어야 했는데…

The book that I bought last time is very difficult so I couldn't read. I should have bought a book that fits my level...