28.25: Part 3: 24 DEVOIR
- Page ID
- 151233
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24 DEVOIR
As a simple main verb, devoir means "to owe" and requires no special discussion. As a modal auxiliary, followed by infinitive constructions, it has many meanings and connotations. The following chart should help you recognize its many uses according to the choice of tense-form.
In this chart, "time" means the time referred to by the speaker; "tense" means the specific tense-form of the verb devoir that is used.
| If the "time" is: | use this tense: | to express: |
| present | présent | necessity or obligation AND expectation or probability "must do it" / "is to do it" (It's ambiguous, but the context usually clarifies the speaker's intentions.) |
| past | passé composé | obligation or necessity "had to do it" (and did) probability "probably did it" |
| imparfait | expectation or probability "probably was" |
|
| conditionnel antérieur |
obligation, unfulfilled "should have done it" |
|
| future | conditionnel futur |
obligation (or necessity) "ought to do it" necessity (or obligation) "will have to do it" |
| present | expectation (or probability) "is to do it" |
Some sentences with devoir:
| Je dois partir demain. | I have to leave tomorrow. |
| Elle doit être ici. | She must be here. |
(Probability: The speaker knows "she" is usually here at this time, or has seen some evidence of her presence.)
| Elle doit arriver à six heures. | She's due to arrive at six. |
| Elle doit arriver à six heures. | She must arrive at six. |
(Context will tell you which meaning holds.)
| J'ai dû oublier de vous le dire. | I must have forgotten to tell you. |
| Jacques devait être fatigué. | Jim must have been tired. |
| J'ai dû vous le dire tout de suite. | I had to tell you right away. |
| Elle devait arriver à midi. | She was to get here at noon. |
(—but she didn't and we're anxiously waiting)
| Je devrais partir, Fifi. | I ought to leave, Fifi. |
(—but it's nice here by the fire, so let it snow and I'll stay a while longer)
| Nous devrons le couvrir. | We'll have to cover it over. |
| Ils auraient dû t'aider. | They should have helped you. |
(—but they didn't)