I can say what I have to do, what everyone has to do, and what you mustn't do, and talk about my workday: a meeting, a break, being late.
Je dois, il faut
Je dois, il faut
French has two ways to say “have to”: a person's own obligation, and a general rule for everyone.
devoir is a personal obligation: je dois, tu dois, elle doit, nous devons, vous devez, ils doivent. The infinitive follows it: “Je dois écrire au patron”.
After devoir, a reflexive verb takes the pronoun that matches the subject: je dois me lever, tu dois te lever, nous devons nous lever.
il faut is an impersonal “you have to”: it has no person, always takes il, and applies to everyone. It is followed by an infinitive too.
il ne faut pas means “you mustn't”, never “you don't have to”: “Il ne faut pas manger à la réunion” — you mustn't eat at the meeting.
Note: il faut can also take a noun, meaning “you need”: “Il faut un rendez-vous”.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “Je dois à partir” — no preposition after devoir.
• NOT “Ils doivent travaillent” — after devoir comes the infinitive.
• NOT “Vous faut être à l'heure” — the impersonal phrase always takes il.
• NOT “Il faut je pars” — il faut is followed by an infinitive.
• NOT “Il ne faut pas venir” meaning “you don't have to come” — it means “you mustn't come”.
devoir — to have to
A personal obligation: each subject has its own form.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | dois |
| tu | dois |
| il / elle / on | doit |
| nous | devons |
| vous | devez |
| ils / elles | doivent |
Have to and mustn't, for everyone
“Il ne faut pas” means “you mustn't”, not “you don't have to”.
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| il faut + infinitive | everyone has to | Il faut travailler le matin. |
| il ne faut pas + infinitive | you mustn't, you can't | Il ne faut pas fumer ici. |
| il faut + noun | you need (a thing) | Il faut une pause. |
Workday words
Seven words for talking about work.
| Word | Workday example |
|---|---|
| la réunion | La réunion commence à dix heures. |
| la pause | La pause est à midi. |
| le client | Le client attend à la banque. |
| l'entreprise | L'entreprise est à Lyon. |
| le patron | Le patron parle avec les collègues. |
| être en retard | Théo est souvent en retard. |
| à l'heure | Chloé est toujours à l'heure. |
Lesson notes
Je dois, il faut
French has two ways to say “have to”: a person's own obligation, and a general rule for everyone.
devoir is a personal obligation: je dois, tu dois, elle doit, nous devons, vous devez, ils doivent. The infinitive follows it: “Je dois écrire au patron”.
After devoir, a reflexive verb takes the pronoun that matches the subject: je dois me lever, tu dois te lever, nous devons nous lever.
il faut is an impersonal “you have to”: it has no person, always takes il, and applies to everyone. It is followed by an infinitive too.
il ne faut pas means “you mustn't”, never “you don't have to”: “Il ne faut pas manger à la réunion” — you mustn't eat at the meeting.
Note: il faut can also take a noun, meaning “you need”: “Il faut un rendez-vous”.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “Je dois à partir” — no preposition after devoir.
• NOT “Ils doivent travaillent” — after devoir comes the infinitive.
• NOT “Vous faut être à l'heure” — the impersonal phrase always takes il.
• NOT “Il faut je pars” — il faut is followed by an infinitive.
• NOT “Il ne faut pas venir” meaning “you don't have to come” — it means “you mustn't come”.