‘I should’ in French
'I should' in French?
How to use ‘I should’ and ‘I shouldn’t’ in French? Let’s review with real-life exemples!
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1. 'I should' in French
To say ‘I should’ in French, you say : je devrais. Je devrais comes from the verb ‘Devoir’ (meaning to have to/must). Je devrais is the conditional form of ‘Devoir’.
If you have to write it (maybe in a text), make sure to add an -s at the end. Why? Because je devrai (without s) means ‘I will have to’!
Je devrais is mostly used the same way than English. You use ‘Je devrais’ when expressing a mild duty, something likely to happen, or thinking out loud about a wish or and advice to yourself.
The structure is ‘Je’ + ‘Devrais’+ Infinitif = Subject (I) + should + base verb.
What about I shouldn’t? ‘Je ne devrais pas’. Use ‘Je ne devrais pas’ to express a bad idea, something no too good for you!
2. 'I should' in French : Examples
1. ‘Je devrais’ to express a mild duty.
Je devrais aller plus souvent à la salle de sport = I should go more often to the gym.
2. ‘Je devrais’ to express something likely to happen.
Je devrais partir à 16h30 = I should leave at 4:30pm.
3. ‘Je devrais’ to express a self-advice.
Je devrais prendre un train plus tôt = I should take an earlier plane.
3. 'I shouldn't' in French: Examples
1. Je ne devrais pas as an advice to yourself.
Je ne devrais pas regarder des séries en une fois = I shouldn’t watch entire series in one setting/ I shouldn’t binge series.
2. Je ne devrais pas as a bad idea.
Je ne devrais pas manger autant de frites ! = I shouldn’t eat so many fries!
Please not in French, the expression ‘I shouldn’t think so’ doesn’t exist.
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