tu devais

you were supposed to

→ tu
phrase Common #7,175
you were supposed to Imperfect of devoir; used for a past obligation, expectation, or something someone was meant to do.
FR: Tu devais m'appeler hier soir.
EN: You were supposed to call me last night.

Tu devais lui demander calmement.

You should have asked him calmly.

— La Vie d'Adèle - Chapitres 1 et 2 (2013)

Maman a dit que tu devais rentrer à la maison immédiatement!

Mom said you have to come home immediately!

— La strada (1954)

J'ai pensé que tu devais le savoir.

I thought you should know.

Tu devais préparer mon pique-nique.

You were supposed to prepare my picnic.

— Mon voisin Totoro (1988)

Tu devais être mon alibi pour le boulot et la maison.

You were supposed to be my alibi for work and home.

— Your Name. (2016)

Yashpal, tu devais ramener des douceurs, qu'est-ce que c'est que ça?

Yashpal, you were supposed to bring some treats—what is this?

— The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002)

Tu devais le faire il y a trois jours.

You were supposed to do it three days ago.

Tu devais pas bouger.

You weren't supposed to move.

— Primate (2026)

Mei, tu devais attendre papa chez grand-mère.

Mei, you were supposed to wait for Dad at Grandma's.

— Mon voisin Totoro (1988)

Tu devais te débarrasser de lui.

You had to get rid of him.

— Volver (2006)

C'est toi qui as laissé nos hommes dans la station quand tu devais les rappeler.

You're the one who left our men at the station when you were supposed to call them back.

— Salyut-7 (2017)

Tu devais dire la même chose à ton ex.

You should have said the same thing to your ex.

— Faute d'amour (2017)

Tu devais me la faire écouter?

You were supposed to play it for me?

— Aquarius (2016)

Tu devais réserver.

You were supposed to book.

— Séquences et conséquences (2000)

Tu devais avoir tellement faim.

You must have been so hungry.

— Suzume (2022)

Tu devais m'appeler une fois sortie du boulot.

You were supposed to call me once you got off work.

— Une femme fantastique (2017)

J'ai pensé que tu devais savoir.

I thought you should know.

Tu devais pécho une nouvelle télé.

You were supposed to score a new TV.

— La Haine (1995)

Le Dr Klinger a dit que tu devais bien manger.

Dr. Klinger said you needed to eat well.

— Les Faussaires (2007)

Tu devais le faire.

You had to do it.

— Mystic River (2003)

Tu devais pas rater d'examens.

You weren't supposed to fail any exams.

— Presque Célèbre (2000)

Tu devais y penser avant.

You should have thought of that before.

— Moscou ne croit pas aux larmes (1980)

Si tu as sauvé ma vie, tu devais avoir de bonnes raisons.

If you saved my life, you must have had good reasons.

— Léon (1994)

La manière dont tu as chassé Nobendu, tu devais être très affecté.

The way you chased Nobendu away, you must have been very upset.

— PIKU (2015)

Tu devais guetter la vieille dehors.

You were supposed to be watching for the old woman outside.

— Dans ses yeux (2009)

Il m'a semblé que tu devais le savoir.

I thought you should know.

— Oppenheimer (2023)

Tu devais m’interrompre!

You were supposed to interrupt me!

— La strada (1954)

Tu devais souffrir, tout en te sachant innocent.

You had to suffer, even though you knew you were innocent.

— Reconnu coupable (2026)

Alors que tu devais la cuisiner!

When you were supposed to cook it!

— Audition (2000)

Que si tu le faisais, tu devais avoir raison.

That if you did it, you must be right.

— Le Conformiste (1971)

Tu devais avoir à faire.

You must have had to do something.

— Voyage à Tokyo (1953)

Je pensais que tu devais le savoir.

I thought you should know that.

Tu devais m'appeler.

You were supposed to call me.

Tu devais rentrer il y a une heure.

You were supposed to be home an hour ago.

Cherches-tu vraiment à nous dire que tu devais tuer?

Are you really trying to tell us that you had to kill?

— M le maudit (1931)

Tu as fais ce que tu devais faire.

You did what you had to do.

Tu devais arrêter.

You should have stopped.

— Arrête-moi si tu peux (2002)

Tu devais le voir la semaine prochaine.

You were supposed to see him next week.

— Le Sacrifice (1986)

J'ai pensé que tu devais avoir faim, à l'heure qu'il est.

I thought you must be hungry by now.

Tu devais pas être sur scène ce soir, si?

You weren't supposed to be on stage tonight, were you?

— The Big Sick (2017)

Si tu devais changer d'avis, fais-le-moi savoir.

If you change your mind, let me know.

Tu devais être affamé.

You must have been starving.

— Suzume (2022)

Le docteur a dit que tu devais rester au lit.

The doctor said you should stay in bed.

J'ai compris que tu devais te faire voir.

I understood that you had to show yourself.

Tu as dit au téléphone que tu devais partir.

You said on the phone that you had to leave.

— La Femme de ménage (2025)

Tu devais la voir avant la corrida.

You were supposed to see her before the bullfight.

— Parle avec elle (2002)

Qu'est-ce que tu devais faire?

What were you supposed to do?

Tu voulais dire non mais tu devais dire oui.

You wanted to say no but you had to say yes.

Tu devais nous protéger.

You were supposed to protect us.

— Avengers : Infinity War (2018)

Tu devais t'en occuper.

You had to take care of it.

— Une Affaire de famille (2018)

Je croyais que tu devais déposer le dossier.

I thought you were supposed to submit the application.

— Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Quand tu l'as écrit, tu devais être un homme très amoureux.

When you wrote it, you must have been a man deeply in love.

— La grande bellezza (2013)

Tu devais balayer les clous dans l'allée.

You had to sweep the nails into the driveway.

Tu as fait ce que tu devais faire.

You did what you had to do.

— Tout sur ma mère (1999)

Tu devais me dire où tu es.

You were supposed to tell me where you are.

— Presque Célèbre (2000)

Tu devais rester.

You had to stay.

Tu devais avoir cette idée en tête.

You must have had that idea in mind.