Present Tense: devoir (must/to have to)

devoir is what linguists call a "modal verb." This is just a fancy way of saying it acts like a helper. Most of the time, devoir does not stand alone. It usually pairs up with another verb. This second verb stays in its original, infinitive form. For example, if you want to say "I must eat," you conjugate devoir and leave "eat" (manger) alone. It looks like this: Je dois manger. You only change the first verb. The second one just hangs out. It is like a bicycle. devoir is the front wheel that steers. The second verb is the back wheel that follows along.

1. 1devoir is an irregular -oir verb. It changes its stem (the start of the word) depending on who is doing the action. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. It changes colors to tell you what to do. Follow these steps to build it:
2. 2For je, tu, and il/elle/on, use the stem doi-. Add -s, -s, and -t respectively.
3. 3For nous and vous, go back to the original stem dev-. Add the standard endings -ons and -ez.
4. 4For ils/elles, use the stem doiv-. Add the ending -ent.
5. 5Here is the breakdown:
6. 6Je dois (I must)
7. 7Tu dois (You must)
8. 8Il/Elle/On doit (He/She/One must)
9. 9Nous devons (We must)
10. 10Vous devez (You must)
11. 11Ils/Elles doivent (They must)
12. 12Notice how the plural ils/elles form adds an i back in? It is a little sneaky. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes when they are tired!

You will use devoir in three main real-world situations. First, for obligations. Imagine you are in a job interview. You might say, Je dois travailler dur (I must work hard). Or if you are asking for directions, a local might tell you, Vous devez tourner à gauche (You must turn left).

Second, use it for probability. If your friend is usually home by 6:00 PM and it is now 6:15 PM, you could say, Il doit être à la maison (He must be at home). You are making a logical guess based on what you know.

Third, use it for intentions or things that are "supposed" to happen. If you have a date at a cafe, you might say, Je dois rencontrer Marie à midi (I am supposed to meet Marie at noon).

Finally, devoir has a secret superpower. When followed by a noun instead of a verb, it means "to owe." If you are ordering food and your friend pays, you can say, Je te dois dix euros (I owe you ten euros). It is a very practical verb for your wallet!

Don't use devoir for general necessities where there is no specific person involved. In English, we say "It is necessary to..." or "One must..." for general rules. In French, we prefer the expression il faut. For example, to say "It is necessary to drink water," use Il faut boire de l'eau. Using devoir here makes it sound like a specific person has a personal debt to the water bottle.

Also, avoid using devoir if you are just talking about a simple future plan without any feeling of pressure. If you are just going to the cinema because you want to, use the future tense or aller. Save devoir for when there is a bit of "must" behind the action.

The biggest mistake is adding a little word like à or de after devoir. In English, we say "I have to eat." In French, you go straight to the verb: Je dois manger. No extra bits!

Another classic trip-up is the pronunciation of doivent. The -ent at the end is completely silent. It sounds like "dwahv." If you pronounce the "ent," you will sound like a robot from a 1970s sci-fi movie.

Finally, watch out for the nous and vous forms. Learners often try to keep the oi sound (like nous doivons). Remember, these two forms are loyal to the original dev- stem. They like to keep things simple.

How does devoir compare to pouvoir (can) and vouloir (want)? These are the three musketeers of French modal verbs.

• Je veux manger = I want to eat (Desire).
• Je peux manger = I can eat (Ability).
• Je dois manger = I must eat (Obligation).

You can see they all follow the same rule: conjugate the helper, keep the second verb in the infinitive. While vouloir is about your heart and pouvoir is about your muscles, devoir is about your brain and your schedule.