The verb "devoir" ('must / have to') is irregular in Le Présent:
| je dois | I must |
| tu dois | You must (one person you know well) |
| il/elle/on doit | He/She/We/one/people must |
| nous devons | We must |
| vous devez | You must (more than 1 person or formal) |
| ils/elles doivent | They must |
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Q&A Forum 2 questions, 2 answers
William Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Is avoir à a possible alternative to devoir?
Can avoir à ever be used instead of devoir? For example j'ai à vous remercier instead of je dois vous remercier.
Asked 1 year ago
William asked:View original
Is avoir à a possible alternative to devoir?
Can avoir à ever be used instead of devoir? For example j'ai à vous remercier instead of je dois vous remercier.
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JulieKwiziq community member
How do you choose when to use devoir instead of il faut?
Asked 3 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Julie !
That's a very good question!
The fact is that in practice, "devoir" and "il faut" are perfectly interchangeable :)
The only nuance would be that "il faut" being an impersonal structure, you would maybe prefer "devoir" to emphasise WHO "must act".
Il faut courir. (One/You/We must run.)
Il doit courir. (He must run.)
I hope that's helpful!
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