French 7

Le Verbe devoir

We have already learned the irregular verbs vouloir and pouvoir. If you recall, I used to refer to them as twins because they are so identical.

Let’s review these two verbs quickly:

Vouloir= to want                                                   Pouvoir= to be able to/can

Je veux                                                                       Je peux

Tu veux                                                                      Tu peux

Il/Elle/On veut                                                          Il/Elle/On veut

Nous voulons                                                                      Nous pouvons

Vous voulez                                                             Vous pouvez

Ils/Elles veulent                                                        Ils/Elles peuvent

There is another irregular verb that is part of this family called ‘devoir’. It is not the same as “les devoirs”, which is the noun for homework. If you think back to Unit 1 with Paul and Kim, Kim used this verb when she said “Je dois mettre ma ceinture de sécurité” before she played the video game. In translation, that means, “I have to put my seatbelt on”. Therefore, the verb devoir means have to or must. In the negative form, it means, don’t have to, or must not.

Let’s look at how devoir is conjugated. I call it the ‘cousin’ to vouloir and pouvoir! Make sure to memorize it!

Devoir= have to/must

Je dois

Tu dois

Il/Elle/ On doit

Nous devons

Vous devez

Ils/Elles doivent

Part 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb devoir. *Some must be written in the negative form!

Exemple: Je  dois  rester au lit aujourd’hui.

1.     Nous _______________________ développer un médicament.

2.     Je ____________________ aller au dentiste. 

3.     On ________________ se laver les mains. (négative)

4.     Tu ______________________________ aller au parc. (négative)

5.     Annie et Lise_____________________ finir leur travail.

6.     Les boulangers   ______________________ utiliser de la farine pour faire du pain.

7.     Est-ce que vous ____________________ sortir les poubelles aujourd’hui?

8.     Elle ________________________________ faire ses devoirs de biologie. (négative)

9.     Luc __________________ jouer le nouveau jeu-vidéo.

10.  Est-ce qu’ils __________________ parler au professeur?

Part 2: Translate the above 10 sentences into English.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Part 3: Now, write 10 of your own sentences using the verb “devoir”. Try to write some in the negative form as well.