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.
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- 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!
Related lessons to devoir:
More resources:
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