devoir/də.vwaʁ/
verb / noun · A2/B1 · Frequency 76
verb
Meanings
must; have to; be obliged to
Used for obligation, necessity, or what is expected.
to owe
Used for owing money, gratitude, or an obligation.
to be bound to; must be
Used to express inference about a fact or result.
Examples
Nous allons devoir reporter la réunion.
We will have to postpone the meeting.
Devoir trois cents euros à la banque inquiète Paul.
Owing three hundred euros to the bank worries Paul.
Le train semble devoir arriver avant midi.
The train seems bound to arrive before noon.
Devoir le rappeler, je le ferai sans hésiter.
Should it be necessary to remind him, I will do so without hesitation.
Collocations
- devoir faire quelque chosemust do something
- devoir de l'argentto owe money
- devoir être vraimust be true
Common mistakes
Je doit partir.
Je dois partir.
The first-person singular present form of devoir is dois, not doit; the subject je requires dois.
Related words
- synonymfalloirmust; have to
synonymêtre obligé deto be obliged to
- antonympouvoircan; to be able to
Grammar note
The verb devoir can form compound tenses with either avoir or être as auxiliary, depending on context; it can be used as pronominal or non-pronominal verb.
nounmasculine
Meanings
duty
Refers to a responsibility or obligation imposed by law, morality, or society.
exercise, assignment (set for homework)
Refers to exercises or tasks assigned to students by teachers.
Examples
Le devoir de chacun est de respecter les autres.
Everyone's duty is to respect others.
Mon fils a terminé son devoir de mathématiques avant le dîner.
My son finished his mathematics assignment before dinner.
La professeure a corrigé le devoir pendant la récréation.
The teacher marked the assignment during the break.
Collocations
- accomplir son devoirto do one's duty
- rendre un devoirto hand in an assignment
Common mistakes
J'ai beaucoup de devoir à faire pour l'école.
J'ai beaucoup de devoirs à faire pour l'école.
For school assignments, the lemma devoir is normally pluralized as devoirs; singular devoir does not express “a lot of homework” in this sentence.
Related words
synonymobligationobligation
verb
Meanings
must; have to; be obliged to
Used for obligation, necessity, or what is expected.
to owe
Used for owing money, gratitude, or an obligation.
to be bound to; must be
Used to express inference about a fact or result.
Examples
Devant remettre le dossier ce soir, Nora travaille sans pause.
Having to submit the file tonight, Nora works without stopping.
Devant encore 120 euros au garage, il attend sa prochaine paie.
Still owing 120 euros to the garage, he has to wait for his next paycheck.
Le train devant arriver à huit heures, nous sommes partis tôt.
The train being due to arrive at eight, we left early.
Collocations
- devoir faire quelque chosemust do something
- devoir de l'argentto owe money
- devoir être vraimust be true
Common mistakes
Je doit partir.
Je dois partir.
The first-person singular present form of devoir is dois, not doit; the subject je requires dois.
Related words
- synonymfalloirmust; have to
synonymêtre obligé deto be obliged to
- antonympouvoircan; to be able to
Grammar note
The verb devoir can form compound tenses with either avoir or être as auxiliary, depending on context; it can be used as pronominal or non-pronominal verb.
verb
Meanings
must; have to; be obliged to
Used for obligation, necessity, or what is expected.
to owe
Used for owing money, gratitude, or an obligation.
to be bound to; must be
Used to express inference about a fact or result.
Examples
Elle a dû annuler son voyage à cause de la grève.
She had to cancel her trip because of the strike.
Le montant dû doit être payé avant la fin du mois.
The amount owed must be paid before the end of the month.
Il a dû oublier notre rendez-vous.
He must have forgotten our appointment.
Grammar note
The verb devoir can form compound tenses with either avoir or être as auxiliary, depending on context; it can be used as pronominal or non-pronominal verb.
verb
Meanings
must; have to; be obliged to
Used for obligation, necessity, or what is expected.
to owe
Used for owing money, gratitude, or an obligation.
to be bound to; must be
Used to express inference about a fact or result.
Examples
Je dois terminer ce rapport avant midi.
I have to finish this report before noon.
Je dois encore vingt euros à ma soeur.
I still owe my sister twenty euros.
Si tu dois partir tôt, prépare tes affaires ce soir.
If you need to leave early, prepare your things tonight.
Collocations
- devoir faire quelque chosemust do something
- devoir de l'argentto owe money
- devoir être vraimust be true
Common mistakes
Je doit partir.
Je dois partir.
The first-person singular present form of devoir is dois, not doit; the subject je requires dois.
Related words
- synonymfalloirmust; have to
synonymêtre obligé deto be obliged to
- antonympouvoircan; to be able to
Grammar note
The verb devoir can form compound tenses with either avoir or être as auxiliary, depending on context; it can be used as pronominal or non-pronominal verb.