Ah, the feeling of obligation! Whether it's something you absolutely have to do, or a strong recommendation, expressing "I must" is a crucial part of daily conversation. In French, while "Je dois" is your go-to, there are actually several other nuanced and equally useful ways to convey this sense of necessity.As you navigate the French language, you'll encounter situations where a simple "Je dois" might not quite capture the exact nuance you're aiming for. Knowing these alternatives will not only enrich your vocabulary but also make your French sound much more natural and sophisticated.Let's dive into 9 different ways to say "I must" in French and discover when to use each one!

The standard and most common way – Je dois

The standard and most common way – Je dois

Je dois is the most common and versatile way to express "I have to" or "I must" in French. It's an essential phrase for daily communication.

This phrase comes from the irregular verb devoir, which means "to have to," "to owe," or "to must." Je dois is its first-person singular (I) conjugation in the present tense.

Most frequently, Je dois is used to state a personal obligation, a necessity, or something you are required to do. It conveys a strong sense of duty or a compelling reason.

Less obviously, Je dois can also express a strong probability or a deduction, similar to "I must be" or "I should be" in English, when you're making an assumption based on evidence.

The structure is straightforward: Je dois is always followed by an infinitive verb (the unconjugated form of the verb, e.g., manger, parler, finir).

One of the reasons Je dois is so popular is its versatility. It's appropriate for both formal and informal contexts, making it your go-to phrase for expressing obligation.

💡 * Je dois travailler demain. (I have to work tomorrow.)

Je dois partir maintenant. (I must leave now.)

Je dois être fatigué après ce long voyage. (I must be tired after this long trip.)

Je dois étudier pour l'examen. (I have to study for the exam.)

Je dois lui parler. (I must talk to him/her.)

The impersonal and very frequent way – Il faut que je...

When you need to express that you must or you have to do something in French, one of the most common and versatile phrases is il faut que je.... This construction conveys a strong sense of obligation or necessity.

A key grammatical point to remember is that il faut que always requires the verb following que to be in the subjunctive mood. This is a non-negotiable rule in French grammar.

The phrase originates from the impersonal verb falloir, which only exists in the third person singular (il faut). It literally means 'it is necessary'. When followed by que and a subject pronoun (like je, tu, il, nous, vous, ils), it specifies who has the obligation.

You'll hear il faut que je... used constantly in everyday French conversations to talk about tasks, appointments, deadlines, or general duties. It's an indispensable phrase for expressing personal obligations.

While il faut que je... expresses a specific person's obligation, the simpler il faut (without que and a subject) is used to express general necessity, like 'one must' or 'it is necessary'. For example, Il faut manger pour vivre (One must eat to live).

Remember that you can change the subject pronoun after que to express obligation for others: Il faut que tu fasses tes devoirs (You must do your homework), Il faut que nous partions (We must leave), Il faut que vous soyez à l'heure (You must be on time).

💡 * Il faut que je parte maintenant. (I have to leave now.)

Il faut que tu finisses ton travail avant ce soir. (You must finish your work before tonight.)

Il faut qu'elle aille chez le médecin. (She has to go to the doctor.)

Il faut que nous étudiions pour l'examen. (We must study for the exam.)

Il faut que vous soyez patients. (You must be patient.)

To express being obliged or forced – Je suis obligé(e) de...

When you need to convey that you are obliged or forced to do something in French, the most direct and common expression is Je suis obligé(e) de...

This phrase literally translates to 'I am obliged to...'. It's built from the verb être (to be), the past participle obligé(e) (obliged/forced), and the preposition de.

Pay close attention to the agreement of obligé(e): use obligé for a male speaker/subject, and obligée for a female speaker/subject. In the plural, it becomes obligés (masculine/mixed group) or obligées (feminine group).

Following Je suis obligé(e) de..., you will always use an infinitive verb (the unconjugated form ending in -er, -ir, or -re) to specify what you are obliged to do. For example, Je suis obligé(e) de partir (I am obliged to leave).

Je suis obligé(e) de... carries a stronger sense of compulsion or necessity than simply 'having to' (like with devoir or il faut). It implies an external force or circumstances dictating the action, often with a slight nuance of reluctance or lack of choice. Think 'I have no other option but to...'

Since obligé(e) is a past participle used with être, you can conjugate être into any tense to express past, present, or future obligation. For example, J'étais obligé(e) de travailler (I was obliged to work), or Nous serons obligé(e)s de rester (We will be obliged to stay).

💡 * Je suis obligé de travailler tard ce soir. (I am obliged to work late tonight.)

Elle est obligée de partir plus tôt. (She is obliged to leave earlier.)

Nous étions obligés de changer nos plans. (We were obliged to change our plans.)

Serez-vous obligés de vendre la voiture ? (Will you be obliged to sell the car?)

Il n'est pas obligé de venir s'il ne veut pas. (He is not obliged to come if he doesn't want to.)

To indicate a necessary task or requirement – J'ai à faire...

The phrase "J'ai à faire..." directly translates to "I have to do..." or "I have [a task] to do." It's used to express a personal task, duty, or requirement that needs to be accomplished, often implying something specific on one's agenda.

This construction follows a simple pattern: a conjugated form of the verb avoir (to have) + the preposition à + an infinitive verb. For example, J'ai à faire, Tu as à étudier, Il a à travailler.

While similar to devoir (to have to/must) or il faut (it is necessary to), "J'ai à faire..." often carries a nuance of a specific, perhaps pre-assigned or personal, task rather than a general obligation. It emphasizes that you possess this task as something to be done.

Unlike devoir or il faut, which are more common for general necessities or strong obligations, "J'ai à faire..." is often employed for a more direct, task-oriented requirement. Think of it as "I have [a specific thing] to do," highlighting the item on your to-do list.

💡 * J'ai à faire mes courses avant de rentrer. (I have to do my shopping before going home.)

Elle a à préparer la présentation pour demain. (She has to prepare the presentation for tomorrow.)

Nous avons à discuter de ce problème important. (We have to discuss this important problem.)

Vous avez à rendre ce rapport ce soir. (You have to submit this report tonight.)

Ils ont à voyager loin pour leur travail. (They have to travel far for their job.)

To state a necessity – Il est nécessaire que je...

To express a strong obligation or something that is absolutely required, the French phrase Il est nécessaire que is commonly used. It directly translates to "It is necessary that..." or "It is essential that..."

A crucial grammatical point to remember is that Il est nécessaire que always demands the use of the subjunctive mood for the following verb. This is because it conveys a subjective judgment of necessity, rather than a factual statement.

The structure is straightforward: Il est nécessaire que followed by a different subject and then the verb conjugated in the subjunctive. For example, Il est nécessaire que je fasse (It is necessary that I do/make).

While similar to Il faut que (It is necessary that / One must), Il est nécessaire que often carries a slightly stronger, more formal, or more emphatic tone of necessity. Both constructions, however, require the subjunctive mood.

Mastering this construction involves recognizing when to apply the subjunctive and correctly conjugating regular and irregular verbs in this mood. Practice is key to becoming comfortable with its usage in various contexts.

💡 * Il est nécessaire que tu viennes à la réunion. (It is necessary that you come to the meeting.)

Il est nécessaire qu'elle étudie davantage. (It is necessary that she studies more.)

Il est nécessaire que nous partions avant midi. (It is necessary that we leave before noon.)

Il est nécessaire que vous soyez attentifs en classe. (It is necessary that you be attentive in class.)

Il est nécessaire qu'ils fassent leurs devoirs. (It is necessary that they do their homework.)

To say "I am supposed to" – Je suis censé(e)

To express that you are “supposed to” do something in French, the most common and direct phrase is être censé(e). This construction translates literally to “to be deemed to” or “to be held to,” but its everyday meaning aligns perfectly with the English “to be supposed to.”

The phrase être censé(e) is always followed by an infinitive verb. The adjective censé(e) must agree in gender and number with the subject. So, it's censé for masculine singular, censée for feminine singular, censés for masculine plural, and censées for feminine plural.

Using Je suis censé(e) implies an expectation, a duty, or a plan. It suggests something should happen or is meant to happen, often based on a schedule, a rule, or a general understanding. It's less of a strict command than devoir (must/have to) and more about what is anticipated.

You'll use Je suis censé(e) when talking about appointments, responsibilities, or general expectations. For instance, if you have a meeting, a deadline, or a social engagement, this phrase accurately conveys that you are expected to be there or do something.

While devoir expresses a stronger, often moral or legal, obligation, être censé(e) conveys a lighter sense of duty or a planned event. Think of it as 'I'm expected to' rather than 'I must.'

💡 * Je suis censé(e) être au bureau à 9h. (I'm supposed to be at the office at 9 AM.)

Elle est censée m'appeler ce soir. (She's supposed to call me tonight.)

Nous sommes censés finir le projet avant vendredi. (We're supposed to finish the project before Friday.)

Vous n'êtes pas censés toucher à ça. (You're not supposed to touch that.)

Ils étaient censés arriver il y a une heure. (They were supposed to arrive an hour ago.)

To emphasize having no other option – Je n'ai pas le choix de...

To express that one has no other option or is obligated to do something, the French phrase Je n'ai pas le choix de... is commonly used. It conveys a strong sense of inevitability or lack of alternatives.

Literally translating to "I don't have the choice to...", this phrase is a direct and emphatic way to state that a particular action or decision is unavoidable. It highlights a situation where circumstances dictate the course of action.

The structure typically follows [subject] n'a pas le choix de + [infinitive verb]. The verb avoir (to have) is conjugated according to the subject, and the action that is unavoidable is expressed by the infinitive verb following de.

💡 * Je n'ai pas le choix de travailler ce week-end. (I have no choice but to work this weekend.)

Elle n'a pas le choix d'accepter cette proposition. (She has no choice but to accept this proposal.)

Nous n'avons pas le choix de partir maintenant. (We have no choice but to leave now.)

Tu n'as pas le choix, il faut le faire. (You have no choice, you have to do it.)

Ils n'avaient pas le choix de suivre les instructions. (They had no choice but to follow the instructions.)

To express a moral duty or self-imposed obligation – Je me dois de...

To express a profound sense of moral duty or a strong self-imposed obligation in French, you can use the phrase Je me dois de....

Unlike a simple devoir (to have to), se devoir de implies an internal conviction, a personal commitment, or a feeling that you owe it to yourself or to others to do something. It's about a deep sense of responsibility.

The structure is se devoir de followed by an infinitive verb. Remember to conjugate devoir and adjust the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) according to the subject. For example, Tu te dois de....

While devoir often refers to an external necessity or a general obligation, se devoir de emphasizes a more personal, ethical, or self-imposed imperative. It carries a heavier weight of commitment.

💡 * Je me dois de te dire la vérité. (I owe it to myself to tell you the truth.)

Elle se doit de réussir cet examen. (She feels obliged to succeed in this exam.)

Nous nous devons de protéger l'environnement. (We have a moral duty to protect the environment.)

Vous vous devez d'être un exemple pour vos enfants. (You owe it to yourself to be an example for your children.)

To convey a formal responsibility or duty – Il m'incombe de...

To express a formal responsibility or duty in French, you can use the impersonal verb phrase il incombe de.... This phrase is reserved for situations where an obligation is official, moral, legal, or professional, carrying a significant weight.

The construction is typically il incombe à [quelqu'un] de [faire quelque chose]. The indirect object pronoun (me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur) precedes incombe. For example, il m'incombe de... means 'it is incumbent upon me to...' or 'it is my responsibility to...'. You can also use que + subjunctive, but the de + infinitive form is more common.

This phrase implies a serious, often unavoidable, duty. It's much more formal than simply saying je dois (I must) or c'est ma responsabilité (it's my responsibility). It emphasizes that the responsibility 'falls upon' or 'rests with' the person or entity mentioned.

You will most frequently encounter il incombe de... in formal writing, official documents, legal texts, administrative discourse, or professional settings. It's less common in casual conversation, where simpler expressions of obligation would be preferred.

💡 * Il m'incombe de veiller à la sécurité de l'équipe. (It is my responsibility to ensure the team's safety.)

Il incombe au gouvernement de protéger ses citoyens. (It is incumbent upon the government to protect its citizens.)

Il vous incombe de prendre une décision éclairée. (It is your duty to make an informed decision.)

Il leur incombe de respecter les règles établies. (It is incumbent upon them to respect the established rules.)

Il nous incombe de trouver une solution rapide à ce problème. (It is our duty to find a quick solution to this problem.)

Are there other ways to say 'I must' in French?

Our list covers the most common ways to express “I must” in French. But French is a rich language with many nuances, and there are always other expressions, from formal ones, to more casual, regional, or even up-and-coming slang ones this middle-aged author might not even be aware of!

You can also do an online search for “comment dire je dois en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region to discover local expressions of necessity or obligation.

You might find some interesting alternatives to je dois or il faut on such lists. Of course, always make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you incorporate it into your vocabulary.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover subtle or informal ways people express obligation or necessity.

And if you’re looking for more comprehensive details on expressing obligation or necessity in French, the WordReference entries for devoir or falloir are excellent places to start!

I hope this article has helped you understand the different ways to say “I must” in French. As the French proverb goes, “Qui veut, peut” (Where there's a will, there's a way), implying that if you must do something, you can!

9 ways to say "I must" in French