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    Devait (en. Had to)

    /dəvɛ/

    Meaning & Definition

    EnglishFrench
    verb
    Form of the auxiliary 'devoir' in the imperfect, indicating an obligation or expectation in the past.
    He had to finish his work before leaving.
    Il devait finir son travail avant de partir.
    Expresses a situation that one thinks could have occurred.
    She had to be there, but she wasn't.
    Elle devait être là, mais elle ne l'était pas.
    Used to evoke an unfulfilled duty.
    They had to submit their homework yesterday.
    Ils devaient rendre leurs devoirs hier.

    Etymology

    The verb 'devoir' comes from the Latin 'debere', meaning 'to be under an obligation'.

    Common Phrases and Expressions

    he had to be
    indicates a strong probability in the past
    il devait être
    had to happen
    refers to an event that was expected
    devait se passer
    I had to do it
    expresses a personal obligation not fulfilled
    je devais le faire

    Related Words

    duty
    Obligation or task that a person must accomplish.
    devoir
    guessed
    Imperfect of the verb 'deviner', meaning to foresee or anticipate.
    devinait
    will have to
    Simple future of the verb 'devoir', representing an obligation to come.
    devra

    Slang Meanings

    has to fight
    He had to fight to please his boss.
    Il devait rosser pour faire plaisir à son patron.
    had to pay attention
    He had to pay attention to his studies.
    Il fallait qu'il fasse attention à ses études.