The verb devoir usually means must / to have to (see Conjugate devoir in the present tense in French (Le Présent)).
However, in past context, its meaning changes depending on whether you use Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) or L'Imparfait (Indicatif).
Learn when to use DEVOIR in L'Imparfait (Indicatif) or in Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) in French
Using DEVOIR in L'Imparfait (Indicatif) = was supposed to [do]
Ils devaient venir ce soir, mais ils ont annulé à la dernière minute.They were supposed to come tonight, but they cancelled at the last minute.
-> Here we don't know if she fulfilled that obligation.
When conjugated in L'Imparfait (Indicatif), devoir refers to a past obligation, without specifying whether it was met or not.
Actually, in most cases, the obligation was not met.
Actually, in most cases, the obligation was not met.
To conjugate devoir in L'Imparfait (Indicatif), see Conjugate regular verbs in the imperfect tense in French (L'Imparfait)
Using DEVOIR in Le Passé Composé (Indicatif) = had to [do] / must have [done]
When conjugated in Le Passé Composé (Indicatif), devoir can either refer to:
- a past obligation that was met.
or
- the likeliness of an action having taken place, a hypothesis on a past situation.
- a past obligation that was met.
or
- the likeliness of an action having taken place, a hypothesis on a past situation.
To conjugate devoir in Le Passé Composé (Indicatif), see Conjugate voir/devoir/pouvoir/boire/croire/savoir/lire/plaire/taire (+ avoir) in the compound past in French (Le Passé Composé)
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Examples and resources
Il est parti tôt, donc j'ai dû faire la lessive moi-même.He left early, so I had to do the laundry myself.
Ils devaient venir ce soir, mais ils ont annulé à la dernière minute.They were supposed to come tonight, but they cancelled at the last minute.
J'ai trouvé l'écharpe de Sophie. Elle a dû l'oublier.I found Sophie's scarf. She must have forgotten it.
Nous devions nous rejoindre à 17h. Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé ?We were supposed to meet at 5pm. What happened ?
