devoir
/də.vwaʁ/
The French phrase for "to have to" is devoir.
devoir is used to express necessity or obligation. In certain contexts, it can also be used to express a strong probability or likelihood, such as saying "He must be tired."
Which one should you use?
While devoir expresses necessity or obligation, the impersonal expression il faut is a common alternative used to express necessity. Additionally, devoir can also mean "to owe" (money or a debt) depending on the context.
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular present form of devoir is doit. To express a continuous or repeated obligation in the past, you can use the imperfect form devais, which translates to "had to" or "used to have to".
How do you pronounce it?
/də.vwaʁ/
Did you know?
- The word for 'homework' in French is devoirs, which is the plural form of devoir. Literally, it refers to the 'duties' or 'obligations' a student must complete.
- The verb devoir is a close linguistic cousin to the English word 'debt', as both stem from the same Latin root meaning 'to owe'.
- A common French expression, faire son devoir, means 'to do one's duty', but can also be used ironically to describe someone following rules too strictly.
Examples in context
- Tu vas devoir y aller.You're going to have to leave.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of devoir regarding leaving.Tatoeba #3922078 by sacredceltic, translation #1895614 by CK
- Tu vas devoir appeler Tom.You're going to have to call Tom.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of devoir regarding calling someone.Tatoeba #5369641 by Aiji, translation #3521127 by CK
- Je vais devoir te rappeler.I'm going to have to call you back.Tatoeba #7290590 by Aiji, translation #1890989 by CK
- Il faut que j'étudie pour mon examen.I have to study for my exam.
- Il a fallu que je lui téléphone.I had to call him.
- Il faudra que vous vous inscriviez à l'avance.You will have to register in advance.
- Je dois aller à la réunion.I have to go to the meeting.
- Vous devez payer votre facture.You must pay your bill.
- Elle doit finir son travail avant ce soir.She has to finish her work before tonight.
- Il faut que tu sois là à l'heure.You have to be there on time.
- Il faut que nous partions maintenant.We have to leave now.
- Il faut que vous fassiez attention.You need to be careful.
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry devoir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries devoir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
