Devoir is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation and has a number of different meanings related to concepts like obligation and probability.
1. Obligation and necessity
- Dois-tu étudier ce soir ?
Do you have to study tonight?
Elles doivent manger
They must / need to eat.
2. Probability and supposition
- Il doit rentrer avant le dîner
He should / will probably be back before dinner
Nous devons gagner plus cette année
We should earn more this year.
Elle doit être à l'école
She must be at school
3. Expectation and intention
- Je devais aller avec eux
I was supposed to go with them.
Il devait le faire, mais il a oublié
He was supposed to do it, but he forgot
4. Fatalism and inevitability
- Il devait perdre un jour
He had to / was bound to lose one day
Elle ne devait pas l'entendre avant lundi
She wasn't to hear it until Monday
Translating devoir
Devoir can be translated by should, must, ought to, have to, supposed to - the distinction between necessity and probability is not always clear:
- Je dois faire la lessive
I should/must/have to do the laundry
Il doit arriver demain
He is supposed to / should / has to arrive tomorrow
- Je dois absolument partir
I really have to go
Nous devons vraiment te parler
We must speak to you
- Tu devrais partir
You should leave.
Ils devraient lui parler
They should talk to him.
- Tu aurais dû manger
You should have eaten.
J'aurais dû étudier
I should have studied.
Devoir as a transitive verb
When used transitively (and thus not followed by a verb), devoir means "to owe":
- Combien est-ce qu'il te doit ?
How much does he owe you?
Pierre me doit 10 francs
Pierre owes me 10 francs
