Devoir means must, need to or have to and is one of the most important verbs for a beginner student to learn. On this page we’ll have a look at its meanings in a series of examples sentences.
Table of Contents
devoir + infinitive = must
When followed by an infinitive it means must and this is the most basic usage of the verb.
- Je dois travailler demain. I have to work tomorrow.
- Nous devons partir avant midi. We must leave before noon.
- Il doit finir cette leçon. He has to finish this lesson.
- Je dois déjeuner à midi. I need to have lunch at noon.
devoir in conditional + infinitive = should
When preceding an infinitive in the conditional tense devoir can translate to should.
- Tu devrais travailler un peu plus. You should work a bit more.
- Ils devraient arriver avant nous. They should arrive before us.
- Elle devrait apprendre le français! She should learn French!
devoir = to owe (money, etc.)
Devoir quelque chose à quelqu’un means to owe somebody something.
- Il doit vingt dollars à son frère. He owes $20 to his brother.
- Tu me dois cinq euros. You owe me 5 €.
devoir = should,
Devoir faire quelque chose in the conditional means bound to do something.
- Ils jouent si bien. Ils devraient gagner. They’re playing so well. They’re bound to win.
devoir as noun
As a noun, devoir means both duty and homework.
- J’ai le devoir de m’occuper de toi. I have the duty to take care of you.
- Je fais toujours mes devoirs avant la leçon. I always do my homework before the lesson.
passé composé = had to
In the passé composé, j’ai dû+ infinitive means I had to.
- J’ai dû partir à cause de la crise. I had to leave due to crisis.
- Nous avons dû apprendre tous ces verbes! We had to learn all these verbs!
should have usage
In the past conditional, j’aurais dû + infinitive means I should have.
- J’aurais dû commander le filet mignon. I should have ordered the filet mignon.
- Tu aurais dû me le dire! You should have told me!
Bonjour! My name is David Issokson. I'm based in Victor, Idaho and have helped hundreds of students to learn French via Skype or Zoom since 2014. 
