French: Expressing Obligation with 'devoir' (have to / has to)
Learn to say what you have to do in French using devoir, with the infinitive, to express external obligations like work, school, and appointments.
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In English, you often say 'I have to work tomorrow' to talk about an obligation that comes from outside you: a job, a rule, a schedule. French expresses this same idea with the verb devoir followed by an infinitive. Devoir is a very common verb, and its forms are irregular, so it is worth learning them early. In this lesson you will learn how to say 'I have to', 'you have to', 'he/she has to', and more, and how to use these forms in everyday situations.
By the end, you can…
- say what I have to do using devoir + infinitive.
- talk about other people's obligations using il doit, elle doit, nous devons, vous devez, ils doivent.
- ask someone if they have to do something.
- distinguish an external obligation from a personal rule or strong advice.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Je dois travailler demain.
I have to work tomorrow.
zhuh dwah trah-vah-yay duh-man
Use this when the obligation comes from your job or schedule. The infinitive travailler follows dois.
Tu dois partir maintenant ?
Do you have to leave now?
tew dwah par-teer man-tahn
A simple yes/no question formed with rising intonation. The infinitive partir follows dois.
Il doit finir ses devoirs.
He has to finish his homework.
eel dwah fee-neer say duh-vwahr
Use il doit for 'he has to'. Note that devoirs means homework in this context.
Nous devons arriver à huit heures.
We have to arrive at eight o'clock.
noo duh-vohn ah-ree-vay ah wee-tuhr
Use nous devons for 'we have to'. The expression à huit heures means at eight.
Vous devez remplir ce formulaire.
You have to fill in this form.
voo duh-vay rahn-pleer suh for-mew-lehr
Use vous devez for a polite singular 'you' or plural 'you'. Common in offices and administration.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern is subject + form of devoir + infinitive. The infinitive does not change: Je dois travailler, tu dois travailler, il doit travailler. Only devoir changes: je dois, tu dois, il/elle/on doit, nous devons, vous devez, ils/elles doivent. For example: Nous devons payer l'addition. (We have to pay the bill.) Elle doit téléphoner à sa mère. (She has to call her mother.)
When to use it
Use devoir + infinitive for external obligations: rules, schedules, duties, and instructions. Examples: Je dois prendre le train à sept heures. (I have to take the train at seven.) Vous devez porter un casque. (You have to wear a helmet.) In everyday speech, devoir often translates both 'must' and 'have to'. French does not make the same strong distinction that English sometimes makes between 'must' and 'have to'. Context and tone show whether the obligation is personal, external, or very strong.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Tu es libre ce soir ?
Are you free tonight?tew ay lee-bruh suh swahrNon, je dois travailler.
No, I have to work.nohn, zhuh dwah trah-vah-yayTu dois travailler jusqu'à quelle heure ?
What time do you have to work until?tew dwah trah-vah-yay zhoos-kah kel uhrJe dois finir à neuf heures.
I have to finish at nine o'clock.zhuh dwah fee-neer ah nuhf uhrA little context goes a long way
In France, devoir is standard in both speech and writing. In more formal or administrative French, you may also see the expression être obligé de + infinitive, as in Je suis obligé de partir. (I have to leave.) This can sound a little more explicit or formal than devoir. In Canadian French, devoir is also common, but spoken forms and pronunciation may differ.
One thing to watch for
Je dois travaille demain.
Try this instead: After devoir, use the infinitive, not a conjugated verb: Je dois travailler demain. The form travaille is a conjugated present-tense form and cannot follow dois.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'She has to study' in French?
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Elle doit étudier.
Elle takes the third-person singular form doit, and the second verb stays in the infinitive: étudier. Elle étudie would mean 'She studies', which is different.
2Translate: 'We have to leave at six.'
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Nous devons partir à six heures.
Nous devons is the correct form for 'we have to'. Partir stays in the infinitive. À six heures means at six o'clock.
3Which form of devoir goes with vous?
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vous devez
Vous devez is the present form for both polite singular 'you' and plural 'you'. For example: Vous devez signer ici. (You have to sign here.) Do not use vous doit.
Use devoir + infinitive to say what you or someone else has to do. Learn the forms je dois, tu dois, il/elle doit, nous devons, vous devez, ils/elles doivent, and keep the second verb in the infinitive.
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