Devoir (must) · Conditionnel
By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated
Devoir in the French conditionnel présent is: je devrais, tu devrais, il/elle/on devrait, nous devrions, vous devriez, ils/elles devraient. The conditionnel présent of devoir is the 'should' workhorse of French. 'Tu devrais étudier' = 'You should study'. Same stem 'devr-' as the futur, plus imperfect endings. Used constantly for advice and recommendations.
| To Have To | Devoir |
|---|---|
| I would have to | je devrais |
| you would have to | tu devrais |
| he/she would have to | il/elle/on devrait |
| we would have to | nous devrions |
| you would have to | vous devriez |
| they would have to | ils/elles devraient |
Devoir (must) in context
Sentences that use devoir in the conditionnel. Tap each to hear it.
I should study more.
You should rest.
He should arrive in an hour.
We should leave now.
You should try this dish.
They should be there on time.
Working with the conditionnel
The conditionnel présent ("je parlerais") expresses what would happen if a condition were met ("si j'avais le temps, je voyagerais" — if I had time, I would travel). It's also the standard form for polite requests in French: "je voudrais" (I would like) is the polite version of "je veux"; "pourriez-vous" (could you) is the polite version of "pouvez-vous". Structurally, the conditionnel uses the same stem as the futur with imperfect endings: parler- + -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. Knowing the futur stem of any verb gives you the conditionnel for free — one of the most efficient pedagogy points in French.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate devoir in the conditionnel?
Why is 'tu devrais' the standard 'you should'?
What does 'tu aurais dû + infinitive' mean?
Practice Devoir (Must) in real conversations
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