Obligation and Necessity - French Expressions

There are many French words and expressions related to obligation and necessity. Learn how to say it's my duty, to have no choice, to be obliged, whether you like it or not, and more French expressions of obligation and necessity.

Verbs and expressions followed by the infinitive

   avoir besoin de
   to have to

   avoir le devoir de*
   to have the duty of

   avoir le triste devoir de*
   to have the sad duty of, to regret to

   devoir
   must, to have to, to be supposed to

   être censé faire quelque chose
   to be meant/supposed to do something

   être forcé à
   to have to

   être obligé de, se trouver obligé de
   to have to, to be obliged to

   être de son devoir de
   to be one's duty to

   falloir
   to be necessary to

   Il est indispensible de
   It's indispensible to

   Il est nécessaire de
   It's necessary to

   Il est obligatoire de
   It's mandatory to

   Il me faut
   I need to

   Il m'incombe de*
   It falls to me to

   Il revient à moi de
   It falls to me to

   mettre quelqu'un dans l'obligation/la nécessité de faire
   to compel someone to do something

   ne pas pouvoir faire autrement que de
   to have no choice but to

   obliger quelqu'un à 
   to require someone to

   se voir contraint de*
   to be compelled to

   se voir dans l'obligation de*
   to be obliged to

*These expressions are very formal and are usually written, not spoken


Verbs and expressions followed by the subjunctive

   demander que
   to ask that

   exiger que
   to insist that

   falloir que
   to be necessary that

   il est obligatoire que
   it's mandatory that

   il est nécessaire que
   it's necessary that

   il est indispensable que
   it's essential that

   il faut que
   it is necessary that


Adjectives related to obligation and necessity

   absolument
   absolutely, really

   au pis aller
   worst-case scenario, if worst comes to worst

   bon gré, mal gré
   whether you like it or not

   en aucun cas (with a negative statement)
   no matter what happens

   en tout cas
   in any case, whatever happens

   impérativement
   imperatively, really

   surtout
   above all

   vraiment
   really