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FrenchConjugationSubjonctif

Devoir (must) · Subjonctif

By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated

Devoir in the French subjonctif présent is: je doive, tu doives, il/elle/on doive, nous devions, vous deviez, ils/elles doivent. The subjonctif présent of devoir uses two stems: 'doiv-' for singular + ils, 'dev-' for nous/vous. 'Bien que je doive partir' = 'Although I have to leave'.

devoir conjugation in the Subjonctif Présent
To Have ToDevoir
I have to
je doive
you have to
tu doives
he/she have to
il/elle/on doive
we have to
nous devions
you have to
vous deviez
they have to
ils/elles doivent
Examples

Devoir (must) in context

Sentences that use devoir in the subjonctif. Tap each to hear it.

Bien que je doive partir, je reste un peu.

Although I have to leave, I'll stay a bit.

Je ne crois pas que tu doives t'inquiéter.

I don't think you need to worry.

Il est étrange qu'il doive travailler aujourd'hui.

It's strange that he has to work today.

Je doute que nous devions y aller.

I doubt we need to go there.

Il faudrait que vous deviez plus à votre équipe.

You would need to give more credit to your team.

Avant qu'ils doivent partir, parlons-leur.

Before they have to leave, let's talk to them.

Tip

Working with the subjonctif

The subjonctif isn't a tense — it's a mood. It signals doubt, desire, emotion, necessity, or hypothetical possibility. The standard trigger families: "il faut que" (it's necessary), "je veux que" (I want), "je doute que" (I doubt), "avant que" (before), "bien que" (although), "pour que" (so that). The form usually comes from the third-person plural of the present indicative (ils parlent → que je parle). Most -er verbs look identical in subjonctif and indicative for je/tu/il/ils — only the nous/vous forms shift, and only irregular verbs like être (sois), avoir (aie), aller (aille), faire (fasse) need full memorisation.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How do you conjugate devoir in the subjonctif?
The subjonctif of devoir is: que je doive, que tu doives, qu'il doive, que nous devions, que vous deviez, qu'ils doivent. Singular + ils use 'doiv-'; nous/vous use 'dev-' (same as the imparfait).
When do I need to use the subjonctif of devoir?
Use it after triggers of doubt, contrast, or condition: 'bien que je doive' (although I must), 'avant que tu doives' (before you have to), 'je ne pense pas qu'il doive' (I don't think he has to). The subjonctif of devoir is less common than other subjonctifs because devoir is more often the trigger ('il faut que...' replaces 'je dois que...' in most idiomatic French).
Why is the subjonctif 'doive' and not 'dois' or 'devra'?
Subjonctif stems usually come from the 3rd-plural indicative (ils doivent → doiv-) for singular + ils, and from nous form (devons → dev-) for nous/vous. This split is standard for any -evoir verb. 'Doive' (subjonctif) and 'doive' (subjonctif) sound nearly identical to 'dois' (indicative) — context disambiguates.
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More tenses of Devoir (Must)

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Devoir (must) · Imparfait
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Devoir (must) · Futur

More verbs in subjonctif

All tenses
Devoir (must)
subjonctif
Être (to be)
subjonctif
Avoir (to have)
subjonctif
Aller (to go)
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