Yap.Town

ils devaient

they had to

→ il
phrase Uncommon #22,197
they had to Depending on context, it can also mean “they were supposed to.”
FR: Ils devaient partir avant midi.
EN: They had to leave before noon.

Ils savaient qu'ils devaient combattre ensemble pour défaire l'ennemi commun.

They knew they had to fight together to defeat their common enemy.

Ils devaient être deux, pensai-je.

There must have been two of them, I thought.

Ils devaient être en train de lire ou alors ils s'étaient endormis.

They must have been reading, or else they had fallen asleep.

— Die My Love (2025)

Ils devaient vous contacter.

They were supposed to contact you.

— Insaisissables 3 (2025)

Pour se laisser diviser, ils devaient être bien médiocres.

To let themselves be divided, they must have been quite mediocre.

— Hero (2002)

Le maire commanda aux citoyens comment ils devaient agir.

The mayor ordered the citizens how they should act.

Ils savaient qu'ils devaient s'échapper.

They knew they had to escape.

Ils devaient partir ce matin.

They were supposed to leave this morning.

— Maman, j'ai raté l'avion ! (1990)

Ils devaient avoir une clé.

They must have had a key.

— Mystic River (2003)

Ils devaient trouver le meilleur candidat possible.

They had to find the best possible candidate.

Il y avait des choses qu'ils devaient faire.

There were things they had to do.

Nos visiteurs avaient dit qu’ils devaient consulter leurs supérieurs.

Our visitors had said they needed to consult their superiors.

Ils devaient lire le livre de nombreuses fois.

They had to read the book many times.

Ils devaient me surveiller, je n'aurais pas dû vous faire venir.

They were supposed to keep an eye on me; I shouldn't have asked you to come.

— Rome, ville ouverte (1945)

Mais ils devaient tous savoir.

But they all had to know.

— Wake Up Dead Man : Une histoire à couteaux tirés (2025)

Ils ont appelé le psychiatre et ont demandé ce qu'ils devaient faire.

They called the psychiatrist and asked what they should do.

Ils devaient remplir ça d'or ?

Were they supposed to fill this with gold?

— Même la pluie (2011)

Tom et Mary ont dit qu'ils devaient faire ça avant de partir.

Tom and Mary said they had to do that before leaving.

Mais ils devaient rester ici.

But they had to stay here.

— L'Empire contre-attaque (1980)