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Grammar for Dummies SHOULD

How do we translate « should » into French ?
How does the structure work ?

How do we translate « should » into French ?

French people use the verb « devoir » to express « should ».

Attention, « devoir » when used in the present tense means « must » or « have to ».

But if we change the tense of « devoir » and conjugate it in « conditionnel » we express « should ».

With « should » we give people advises on what they should or shouldn’t do in a near future to avoid unfortunate consequences ; not to confuse with « should have done/called… » expressing a regret, it’s too late to change the situation.

How does the structure work ?

First step : we conjugate « devoir » in « conditionnel ».

Je devrais

Tu devrais

Il/elle/on devrait

Nous devrions

Vous devriez

Ils/elles devraient

Please note that : « devrais » / « devrais » / « devrait » / et « devraient » are pronounced the same way !!

Second step : add a verb after, because « should » is always followed by an action, a verb.

1) Je devrais partir, il a l’air énervé.

2) Tu devrais appeler un docteur.

3) Il ne devrait pas parler comme ça à son chien.

4) Elle ne devrait pas dire ça à son patron.

5) On ne devrait pas attendre, on va être en retard.

6) Nous ne devrions pas attendre, nous allons être en retard.

7) Vous devriez faire attention.

8) Ils devraient déménager, leur maison est trop petite.

9) Elles devraient laver leurs mains avant de toucher le bébé.

Please note that 5) and 6) are exactly the same. It’s to remind you that « on » and « nous » have the very same meaning. French people tend not to use « nous » very much anymore, they prefer the shortest and the easiest version : « on ».

Note also that 3) 4) 5) 6) are negative. When we have two verbs in a row, the first verb always gets the negation.

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