Meaning and Usage
The French verb devoir means to have to or must, expressing obligation, necessity, or probability. It is an irregular verb often used to indicate what someone is required to do or what is likely true. For example, Je dois partir means "I must leave" or "I have to leave."
Verb Category
Devoir is an irregular verb and belongs to the third group of French verbs. It is commonly used in both spoken and written French and is important for expressing duties and obligations.
Present Tense Conjugation
The present tense of devoir expresses current obligation or necessity. Below is the conjugation table with examples in both French and English.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | dois | have to / must | Je dois étudier. | I have to study. |
| tu | dois | have to / must | Tu dois finir tes devoirs. | You must finish your homework. |
| il/elle/on | doit | has to / must | Il doit partir tôt. | He has to leave early. |
| nous | devons | have to / must | Nous devons écouter. | We have to listen. |
| vous | devez | have to / must | Vous devez respecter les règles. | You must respect the rules. |
| ils/elles | doivent | have to / must | Elles doivent arriver à l'heure. | They must arrive on time. |
Past Tense Conjugation (Passé Composé)
In the passé composé, devoir uses avoir as its auxiliary verb and the past participle is dû. This tense expresses obligations or duties that have been completed or realized.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | ai dû | had to | J'ai dû partir tôt. | I had to leave early. |
| tu | as dû | had to | Tu as dû travailler hier. | You had to work yesterday. |
| il/elle/on | a dû | had to | Elle a dû attendre longtemps. | She had to wait a long time. |
| nous | avons dû | had to | Nous avons dû annuler la réunion. | We had to cancel the meeting. |
| vous | avez dû | had to | Vous avez dû étudier pour l'examen. | You had to study for the exam. |
| ils/elles | ont dû | had to | Ils ont dû partir rapidement. | They had to leave quickly. |
Other Important Tenses
Devoir is also commonly used in the imperfect, future, and conditional tenses to express ongoing obligations in the past, future obligations, or polite suggestions respectively.
- Imperfect: Je devais (I had to / was supposed to)
- Future: Je devrai (I will have to)
- Conditional: Je devrais (I should / I would have to)
Common Expressions with Devoir
Devoir appears in set expressions such as:
- devoir à quelqu’un – to owe someone
- il doit être – he must be (expressing probability)
- devoir quelque chose à quelqu’un – to owe something to someone
These expressions illustrate devoir's versatility beyond strict obligation.
Summary
The verb devoir is essential for expressing necessity, obligation, and probability in French. Its irregular conjugation requires practice but mastering it enables you to communicate duties and expectations clearly.
