Devoir
Click *HERE* for Devoir Exercise
Devoir is a "shoe" verb: inside the shoe = -oi-; outside the shoe = -e-, like the infinitive. [For "shoe verbs", click *HERE*.] Past participle = dû
| je dois | nous devons |
| tu dois | vous devez |
| il, elle, on doit | ils doivent |
The verb itself is not hard, but the English translations may appear confusing. Study them well.
| • present: must, to have to, obligation | Vous devez étudier si vous voulez apprendre. |
| • imparfait: was supposed to, had to |
Je devais étudier hier soir, mais... |
| • passé composé: must have, had to |
Zut! J'ai dû oublier mes clés! |
| • future: will have to | Tu devras te dépêcher si tu veux finir à temps. |
| • conditional: ought to, should | Nous devrions aller voir le professeur. |
| • past conditional: should have | J'aurais dû commencer plus tôt. |
Yes, I know that both imparfait and passé composé have "had to" as a translation possibility. You chose between the two tenses the way you always do:
p.c. = happened once;
imparfait = (a) description; (b) happened often ("used to. . .")
(If you're still puzzled on p.c. vs. impf., return to Grammar Index and review.
| pres.: doit/must | cond.: devrait/should |
| p.c.: a dû/must have | past cond.: aurait du/should have |