What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the conditional form of the verb devoir (should/must) and the subject pronoun je (I), joined by a hyphen for inversion.
Which one should you use?
The form devrais-je uses the conditional mood to ask for advice. In contrast, the form dois-je uses the present indicative to ask about an obligation or necessity, translating more closely to 'must I' or 'do I have to'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form devrais-je uses subject-verb inversion, which is the most formal way to structure a question in French. In spoken French, it is more common to use the est-ce que construction rather than the formal inversion devrais-je. Additionally, Dois-je… is a formal way to say 'Should I' in French.
How does it change in a sentence?
While devrais-je uses the conditional mood to ask for advice (should I), dois-je uses the present indicative to ask about obligation or necessity (must I).
Did you know?
- The verb devoir, used in devrais-je, also means 'homework' (les devoirs) in French, reflecting the idea of something one is obligated to do.
- If you want to sound very natural while asking 'should I' in a group, you would likely switch the subject from je to on. Using On devrait… makes the question feel less self-centered and more like a collective consideration.
- While devrais-je is the textbook way to ask 'should I', using it in a casual cafe might make you sound like a character from a 19th-century novel. Most modern French speakers prefer to simply say 'Je devrais…?' with a rising intonation.
Examples in context
- Devrais-je y aller ?Should I go?This sentence is useful for asking if you should go somewhere using devrais-je.Tatoeba #1461711 by sacredceltic, translation #1454593 by CK
- Devrais-je lui dire ?Should I tell him?This sentence is useful for asking if you should tell someone something using devrais-je.Tatoeba #12042 by Lulantis, translation #901570 by joeycrunch
- Que devrais-je faire ?What should I do?This sentence is useful for asking for advice on what action to take using devrais-je.Tatoeba #1276184 by sacredceltic, translation #449699 by peipei
- Dois-je prendre cette décision?Should I make this decision?
- Je devrais l'appeler?Should I call him/her?
- Dois-je arriver plus tôt?Should I arrive earlier?
- Est-ce que je dois prendre ce médicament?Should I take this medication?
- Je devrais acheter ce livre?Should I buy this book?
- 158 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel is asking Léa for advice on a gift.
- GabrielDevrais-je acheter des fleurs pour elle ?Should I buy some flowers for her?
- LéaOui, c'est toujours une bonne idée.Yes, it is always a good idea.
- GabrielEt devrais-je ajouter une carte ?And should I add a card?
- LéaOui, Gabriel, ce serait parfait.Yes, Gabriel, that would be perfect.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
