What does devoir in French mean?

What is the meaning of the word devoir in French? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use devoir in French.

The word devoir in French means have to, must, must, be bound to do, owe, owe , owe to, owe , owe to, duty, homework, homework, owe to, be supposed to do , be meant to do, owe to, have to do, owe each other , owe one another, call of duty, owe a lot to, marital duties, duty of remembrance, obligation to remember, professional confidentiality, professional discretion, homework, homework assignment, owe your salvation to, written test, test, be deeply indebted to, written test, written exam, in-class exam, in-class test, mark a piece of work, mark a piece of homework, give the answers to a piece of work, it is my duty to + [infinitive], duty calls, owe your salvation to, make a point of doing, sense of duty. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word devoir

have to

verbe transitif (avoir l'obligation de faire [qch])

Je dois aller chercher mon petit frère à l'école.
I have to collect my little brother from school.

must

verbe transitif (avoir la nécessité de)

(auxiliary verb: Helping verb--for example, "She is running." "It has been lost.")
Je dois travailler si je veux avoir de bonnes notes.
I need to work if I want to get good grades.

must

verbe transitif (exprime la probabilité)

(auxiliary verb: Helping verb--for example, "She is running." "It has been lost.")
Marc n'est pas arrivé : il doit être dans les embouteillages.
Mark isn't here yet; he must be stuck in traffic.

be bound to do

verbe transitif (exprime le caractère inéluctable)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Les enfants se sont faits mal en se bagarrant : ça devait arriver !
The kids hurt each other fighting. That was bound to happen!

owe

verbe transitif (avoir de l'argent à donner à [qqn])

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Je dois 5 euros à mon frère.
I owe my brother 5 euros.

owe , owe to

verbe transitif (être l'obligé de [qqn], être redevable)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Je vous dois des remerciements pour votre aide.
I owe you a big thank you for your help.

owe , owe to

verbe transitif (avoir obtenu grâce à [qqn])

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
C'est à vous que je dois ce nouveau poste.
I owe this new job to you.

duty

nom masculin (obligation morale)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Nous avons le devoir de nous occuper de notre mère.
We have a duty to take care of our mothers.

homework

nom masculin (exercice scolaire) (uncountable)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
J'ai un devoir de maths à rendre pour demain. Je ne comprends pas comment Tania a pu me rendre un devoir aussi mauvais, elle qui est si bonne en allemand d'habitude !
I have a math assignment due tomorrow.

homework

nom masculin pluriel (exercices scolaires chez soi) (uncountable)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
L'instituteur a donné beaucoup de devoirs à ses élèves aujourd'hui. De temps à autre, le Ministre de l'éducation remet en cause le bien-fondé des devoirs.
The teacher gave his pupils a lot of homework today. Every so often, the Education Minister calls the merits of homework into question.

owe to

(posséder [qch] grâce ou à cause de)

Michel doit cet opiniâtreté à son père. La myrtille doit sa couleur aux anthocyanes.
Michael gets this stubbornness from his father.

be supposed to do , be meant to do

locution verbale (être censé faire [qch])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Tu ne devais pas aller voir ta sœur aujourd'hui ?

owe to

locution verbale (posséder [qch] grâce ou à cause de)

Je dois à ma grand-mère d'aimer la musique. Je dois à mon obstination d'avoir obtenu ce poste.
I have my grandmother to thank for my love of music. I have my obstination to thank for having obtained this post.

have to do

verbe pronominal (se sentir obligé de)

Je me devais de vous dire la vérité.
I have to tell you the truth.

owe each other , owe one another

verbe pronominal (devoir réciproquement)

(transitive verb and reflexive pronoun: Transitive verb with reflexive pronoun--for example, "Enjoy yourself." "They behaved themselves.")
Les époux se doivent secours et fidélité.
Married couples have a duty to support each other and stay faithful to each other.

call of duty

nom masculin (familier, figuré (mobilisation)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

owe a lot to

locution verbale (être très redevable)

marital duties

nom masculin (relations sexuelles entre époux)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")

duty of remembrance, obligation to remember

nom masculin (obligation morale d’honorer le passé)

professional confidentiality, professional discretion

nom masculin (discrétion des fonctionnaires)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les militaires sont soumis au devoir de réserve.

homework, homework assignment

nom masculin (contrôle noté à faire chez soi) (UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Paul a passé toute la soirée sur son devoir maison de maths qu'il doit rendre demain.
Paul spent all evening on his maths homework, which he has to hand in tomorrow.

owe your salvation to

locution verbale (avoir été sauvé par)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

written test

nom masculin (Scolaire : examen écrit)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

test

(école : contrôle sur table) (Education)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

be deeply indebted to

(figuré (être redevable à [qqn] de [qch]) (formal)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

written test, written exam, in-class exam, in-class test

nom masculin invariable (abr (Scolaire : devoir sur table)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
J'ai passé tout mon week-end à réviser pour mon DST de maths de 2 h lundi matin.

mark a piece of work, mark a piece of homework

locution verbale (corriger les erreurs) (UK)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Il fait la correction d'un devoir de quatrième.

give the answers to a piece of work

locution verbale (présenter les bonnes réponses)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Le professeur a fait la correction du devoir de physique au tableau.

it is my duty to + [infinitive]

(soutenu (je dois)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

duty calls

(je dois accomplir mes obligations)

owe your salvation to

locution verbale (être sauvé grâce à)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Au moment de mon grave accident de voiture je ne dus mon salut qu'à l'arrêt d'un automobiliste.

make a point of doing

(tout faire pour faire [qch])

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

sense of duty

nom masculin (dévouement, sacrifice)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

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