Celebrate the holidays! Save 20% on annual and biennial Premium »

Conjugate devoir in the conditional past in French = should have (Le Conditionnel Passé)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2023-09-13
74 questions
Take the fastest path to fluent French
Join now for free!

Learn how to conjugate DEVOIR (should have) in Le Conditionnel Passé in French:

 
J'aurais dû manger plus tôt.I should have eaten earlier.
 
Tu aurais dû fermer la porte à clé.You should have locked the door.
 
Elle aurait dû freiner plus tôt.She should have braked earlier.
 
Nous n'aurions pas dû l'écouter.We shouldn't have listened to him.
 
Vous auriez dû la prévenir.You should have warned her.
 
Ils auraient dû prendre le bus à la place.They should have taken the bus instead.
 
Conjugating devoir in Le Conditionnel Passé
 is easy: 
Le Conditionnel Présent of avoir  +  dû  (past participle of devoir) + infinitive
 
 
Notice the difference between the English and French: 
  • in English you use the past participle form of the verb (locked, listened, eaten)
  • in French we use the Le Conditionnel Passé
     of devoir + the verb infinitive (fermer, écouter, manger)
 
Compare this with:

Want to make sure your French sounds confident? We’ll map your knowledge and give you free lessons to focus on your gaps and mistakes. Start your Brainmap today »

Learn more about these related French grammar topics

Examples and resources

Tu aurais dû fermer la porte à clé.You should have locked the door.
Nous n'aurions pas dû l'écouter.We shouldn't have listened to him.
J'aurais dû manger plus tôt.I should have eaten earlier.
Elle aurait dû freiner plus tôt.She should have braked earlier.
Vous auriez dû la prévenir.You should have warned her.
Ils auraient dû prendre le bus à la place.They should have taken the bus instead.
Let me take a look at that...