Fiche à imprimer : Comment traduire « devoir

« Devoir » a plusieurs sens en français. En anglais, chaque sens a sa traduction.

« Devoir » = ...	Anglais	Exemple
obligation	must / have to	Je dois partir. → I must go. / I have to go.
conseil (je devrais)	should	Tu devrais te reposer. → You should rest.
ce qui est prévu	be supposed to	Il doit arriver à 8 h. → He's supposed to arrive at 8.
déduction (sûrement)	must	Il doit être fatigué. → He must be tired.
déduction négative	can't	Elle ne doit pas être chez elle. → She can't be at home.
devoir de l'argent	owe	Je te dois 10 €. → I owe you €10.

Au passé

I had to work. (obligation) / He must have forgotten. (déduction) / You should have told me. (reproche)

J'ai dû travailler. / Il a dû oublier. / Tu aurais dû me le dire.

Attention : « J'ai dû » se traduit par had to s'il s'agit d'une obligation, mais par must have s'il s'agit d'une supposition.

Mise en situation : un ami en retard

Emma : Where's Tom? He was supposed to be here at six.

Où est Tom ? Il devait être là à six heures.

Leo : He must be stuck in traffic. You should call him.

Il doit être coincé dans les bouchons. Tu devrais l'appeler.

Emma : I did. He had to finish his homework first!

C'est fait. Il a dû finir ses devoirs d'abord !

Leo : Oh, and he owes me five pounds. He must not forget!

Ah, et il me doit cinq livres. Il ne doit pas oublier !

À retenir

Obligation : must / have to (passé : had to).
Conseil : should (reproche : should have + participe).
Prévu : be supposed to.
Déduction : must / can't (passé : must have / can't have).
Devoir de l'argent : owe.

Exercice 1 : Traduire « devoir » : exercice 1 (QCM)

« Je dois partir maintenant. »
1. I owe to go now.
2. I have to go now.
3. I should to go now.
« Tu devrais te reposer. »
1. You owe rest.
2. You should rest.
3. You must to rest.
« Le train doit arriver à 9 h. » (c'est prévu)
1. The train owes arrive at 9.
2. The train is supposed to arrive at 9.
3. The train must arrive at 9 of.
« Il doit être malade. » (déduction)
1. He has to be ill of.
2. He should be ill.
3. He must be ill.
« Je te dois 20 €. »
1. I must you €20.
2. I owe you €20.
3. I have to you €20.
« J'ai dû attendre une heure. » (obligation)
1. I owed wait an hour.
2. I had to wait for an hour.
3. I must have waited for an hour.
« Il a dû oublier. » (supposition)
1. He had to forget.
2. He must forgot.
3. He must have forgotten.
« Tu aurais dû me le dire. »
1. You should told me.
2. You should have told me.
3. You must have to tell me.
« Elle ne doit pas être chez elle. » (déduction)
1. She can't be at home.
2. She mustn't be at home.
3. She doesn't have to be at home.
« Tu ne dois pas fumer ici. » (interdiction)
1. You mustn't smoke here.
2. You don't have to smoke here.
3. You can't to smoke here.

Exercice 2 : Traduire « devoir » : exercice 2 (à compléter)

I .......................... to go now. My bus is leaving. (dois)
You .......................... eat more vegetables. (devrais)
The film is .......................... to start at 8. (doit, c'est prévu)
He's not answering. He .......................... be asleep. (doit, déduction)
I .......................... my sister ten euros. (dois)
Yesterday I .......................... to stay at home. (ai dû)
She's late. She must .......................... missed the bus. (a dû)
You should .......................... told me earlier! (aurais dû)
That .......................... be true! (ne doit pas, déduction)
You .......................... touch it. It's dangerous! (ne dois pas)

Exercice 3 : Traduire « devoir » : mise en situation

Tu dois rentrer, ta mère t'attend.
1. I owe go home. My mum waits.
2. I have to go home. My mum is waiting.
3. I should to go home.
Ton ami a de la fièvre : tu lui conseilles d'aller chez le médecin.
1. You owe see a doctor.
2. You should see a doctor.
3. You must to see a doctor.
Le bus devait passer à 8 h, mais il n'est pas là.
1. The bus owed come at 8.
2. The bus should came at 8.
3. The bus was supposed to come at 8.
Ton frère ne répond pas : il est sûrement sous la douche.
1. He must be in the shower.
2. He has to be in the shower of.
3. He should to be in the shower.
Tu rappelles à ton ami qu'il te doit de l'argent.
1. You owe me five pounds!
2. You must me five pounds!
3. You have to me five pounds!
Tu racontes que tu as dû rester à la maison (obligation).
1. I must have stayed at home.
2. I had to stay at home.
3. I owed to stay at home.
Ta copine n'est pas venue : elle a sûrement oublié.
1. She must forget yesterday.
2. She had to forget.
3. She must have forgotten.
Tu reproches gentiment à ton ami de ne pas t'avoir prévenu.
1. You must told me!
2. You had to tell me before!
3. You should have told me!
Ce n'est pas possible que ce soit déjà midi.
1. It mustn't be midday already!
2. It can't be midday already!
3. It doesn't have to be midday!
Tu dis à ton petit frère qu'il ne doit pas traverser seul.
1. You don't have to cross the road alone.
2. You mustn't cross the road alone.
3. You owe not cross alone.

Corrigé

Exercice 1

1. b) I have to go now. · 2. b) You should rest. · 3. b) The train is supposed to arrive at 9. · 4. c) He must be ill. · 5. b) I owe you €20. · 6. b) I had to wait for an hour. · 7. c) He must have forgotten. · 8. b) You should have told me. · 9. a) She can't be at home. · 10. a) You mustn't smoke here.

Exercice 2

1. have · 2. should · 3. supposed · 4. must · 5. owe · 6. had · 7. have · 8. have · 9. can't · 10. mustn't

Exercice 3

1. b) I have to go home. My mum is waiting. · 2. b) You should see a doctor. · 3. c) The bus was supposed to come at 8. · 4. a) He must be in the shower. · 5. a) You owe me five pounds! · 6. b) I had to stay at home. · 7. c) She must have forgotten. · 8. c) You should have told me! · 9. b) It can't be midday already! · 10. b) You mustn't cross the road alone.

Comment traduire « devoir » en anglais ?