devoir to have to [must]; to owe vouloir to want Point de départ The verbs devoir to have to [must]; to owe vouloir to want pouvoir to be able to [can] are all irregular. They all use avoir for the passé composé. © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
Devoir followed by an infinitive verb to mean to have to or must. Devoir followed a thing by means to owe. © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
Sometimes in the passé composé Devoir+infinitive has a special meaning – it hypothesizes about a past event. devoir PC- event in the past: devoir PC- hypothesis: © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
In the imparfait, devoir expresses “supposed to.” © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
Here are a few more nuances of meaning for these verbs. Sandrine was supposed to be here. She must have spoken with her prof. I managed to find you at the supermarket. © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
Pouvoir can be used in the passé composé with an infinitive to express managed to do something. © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
Imparfait is used to express “didn’t want to”: Vouloir is often used in the passé composé with an infinitive in negative sentences to express refused to. Imparfait is used to express “didn’t want to”: Il ne voulait pas parler. Elles ne voulaient pas débarrasser la table. © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
When vouloir is used with dire, it is translated as to mean. You know this already. To find out what a French word means, you ask “Que veut dire ____________ ? © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
Bien vouloir can be used to express willingness. In this case, bien doesn’t mean “well” – it means very much. It’s much more authentic French than beaucoup © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.
Essayez! Copy the sentences into your notebook, adding the correct form of the verbs in the present tense Make sure you know the meaning of every sentence. devoir 1. Tu _____ revenir à midi? 2. Elles _____ manger tout de suite. 3. Nous _____ encore vingt euros. 4. Je ne _____ pas assister au pique-nique. 5. Elle _____ nous téléphoner. vouloir 6. _____-vous manger sur la terrasse? 7. Tu _____ quelque chose à boire? 8. Il _____ faire la cuisine. 9. Nous ne _____ pas prendre de dessert. 10. Ils _____ préparer un grand repas. pouvoir 11. Je _____ passer l’aspirateur ce soir. 12. Il _____ acheter de l’ail au marché. 13. Elles _____ emménager demain. 14. Vous _____ maigrir de quelques kilos. 15. Nous _____ mettre la table. dois © and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.