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French frequency list

No. 390 in French

devoir

"Devoir" means "to have to" or "must" as a verb, and "duty" or "homework" as a noun.

In a sentence

  • Je dois finir mes devoirs avant le dîner.

    I must finish my homework before dinner.

    In this sentence, "dois" (a conjugated form of "devoir") signifies obligation or necessity, indicating what the speaker is required to do.

  • Il semble devoir pleuvoir ce soir.

    It seems it must rain tonight.

    Here, "devoir" is used in its infinitive form to indicate probability or a supposition about an event.

  • Elle a un sens aigu du devoir envers sa communauté.

    She has a strong sense of duty toward her community.

    In this instance, "devoir" functions as a noun, referring to a moral or societal obligation or responsibility.

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