Devoir – must, should, owe, supposed to
Je dois, je devrais, j'ai dû
Devoir changes meaning depending on its tense, covering must, have to, should, was supposed to, must have and owe.
Overview
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je dois partir. | I must / have to leave. |
| Il doit être malade. | He must be ill. (probably) |
| Je devrais partir. | I should / ought to leave. |
| J'aurais dû partir. | I should have left. |
| J'ai dû partir. | I had to leave. / I must have left. |
| Je devais partir. | I was supposed to leave. / I had to leave (regularly). |
| Je devrai partir. | I'll have to leave. |
| Je te dois 10 €. | I owe you €10. |
Obligation
- Tu dois faire tes devoirs.You have to do your homework.
- Vous ne devez pas fumer ici.You mustn't smoke here.
Probability
- Il doit être tard.It must be late.
- Elle a dû oublier.She must have forgotten.
Advice and regret (conditional)
- Tu devrais te reposer.You should rest.
- Tu n'aurais pas dû dire ça.You shouldn't have said that.
Plans that didn't happen (imparfait)
- On devait se voir hier, mais il a annulé.We were supposed to meet yesterday, but he cancelled.
Owing
- Combien je vous dois ?How much do I owe you?
- Je lui dois beaucoup.I owe him a lot.
Les devoirs (plural noun) = homework; le devoir = duty.
Practice
- You should rest.Options: Tu devrais te reposer. · Tu dois te reposer eu. · Tu aurais dû reposer.
Show the answer
Tu devrais te reposer.
- I should have said no.Options: J'aurais dû dire non. · Je devrais dire non. · J'ai dû dire non.
Show the answer
J'aurais dû dire non.
- We were supposed to meet at noon.Options: Nous devions nous retrouver à midi. · Nous avons dû nous retrouver à midi. · Nous devrions nous retrouver à midi.
Show the answer
Nous devions nous retrouver à midi.
- She must be tired. (probably)Options: Elle doit être fatiguée. · Elle devrait être fatiguée eu. · Elle a dû fatiguée.
Show the answer
Elle doit être fatiguée.
In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, followed by questions that explain the rule when you get one wrong. It then comes back for review on later days until you've mastered it.