français · B1 · verb · 4 minutes
Devoir in the present conditional
Give advice, express expectation, or state a conditional obligation.
Understand the choice
Conditional devoir lowers an obligation into advice or presents an expected outcome with some uncertainty. Tone and context distinguish “should do” from “should be happening.”
Core rule: Devoir uses the conditional stem devr- plus imparfait endings; followed by an infinitive, it often means should.
Notice it in context
Tu devrais sauvegarder le document avant de fermer la page.
You should save the document before closing the page.
Devrais addresses tu; sauvegarder names the recommended action; avant de adds the precaution point.
Le train devrait arriver vers midi.
The train should arrive around noon.
Devrait expresses an expected, not guaranteed, arrival.
Nous devrions demander un deuxième avis.
We should ask for a second opinion.
Devrions frames a collective recommendation.
What to remember
- Devoir in the present is stronger: tu dois partir means you must leave.
- The conditional and future share devr-, but conditional uses -ais/-ait while future uses -ai/-a.
Common trap: Do not conjugate the recommended action: say vous devriez attendre, not vous devriez attendez.