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Italian dovere Conjugation
“must / to have to” · 必须 · all seven simple tenses plus the past participle
Present tenseio devo · tu devi · lui / lei deve · noi dobbiamo · voi dovete · loro devono
Dovere ("must / to have to") states obligation and necessity, and with money or thanks it simply means to owe: gli devo dei soldi (I owe him money). Speech uses the compressed present — devo, devi, deve, dobbiamo, dovete, devono.
Below are the complete dovere tables for all seven simple tenses, the difference between dovevo and ho dovuto, and the conditional dovrei that carries advice.
Present indicativeIndicativo presente
States what is true or happening now, plus habits and general facts.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | devo |
| tu | devi |
| lui / lei | deve |
| noi | dobbiamo |
| voi | dovete |
| loro | devono |
Example:Studio italiano ogni giorno.
I study Italian every day.
ImperfectIndicativo imperfetto
Describes past background, ongoing states, and repeated behaviour.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | dovevo |
| tu | dovevi |
| lui / lei | doveva |
| noi | dovevamo |
| voi | dovevate |
| loro | dovevano |
Example:Da piccolo giocavo qui.
I used to play here as a child.
Historic pastIndicativo passato remoto
Narrates a past event seen as complete, mainly in writing; spoken usage varies by region.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | dovetti |
| tu | dovesti |
| lui / lei | dové |
| noi | dovemmo |
| voi | doveste |
| loro | dovettero |
Example:Dante nacque nel 1265.
Dante was born in 1265.
FutureIndicativo futuro semplice
Refers to the future, and can also express a guess about the present.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | dovrò |
| tu | dovrai |
| lui / lei | dovrà |
| noi | dovremo |
| voi | dovrete |
| loro | dovranno |
Example:Domani partirò presto.
Tomorrow I will leave early.
ConditionalCondizionale presente
Used for polite requests and wishes, and for what would happen under a condition.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | dovrei |
| tu | dovresti |
| lui / lei | dovrebbe |
| noi | dovremmo |
| voi | dovreste |
| loro | dovrebbero |
Example:Vorrei un caffè.
I would like a coffee.
Present subjunctiveCongiuntivo presente
Common in clauses after certain verbs and conjunctions to express wishes, judgements and doubts; use depends on the construction.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | debba |
| tu | debba |
| lui / lei | debba |
| noi | dobbiamo |
| voi | dobbiate |
| loro | debbano |
Example:Spero che tu stia bene.
I hope you are well.
Imperfect subjunctiveCongiuntivo imperfetto
Follows some past main clauses, and appears in hypothetical conditions.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | dovessi |
| tu | dovessi |
| lui / lei | dovesse |
| noi | dovessimo |
| voi | doveste |
| loro | dovessero |
Example:Se avessi tempo, leggerei di più.
If I had time, I would read more.
Past participle Participio passato
- masculine singular
- dovuto
- feminine singular
- dovuta
- masculine plural
- dovuti
- feminine plural
- dovute
Auxiliary: As a modal, dovere builds its compound tenses with the auxiliary of the verb that follows: ho dovuto aspettare.
How it is used
Obligation, deduction, advice
Devo partire is I must leave. Dovere also deduces: deve essere tardi (it must be late). The conditional dovrei is how Italians give advice without ordering: dovresti riposare (you should rest). Note the asymmetry in the negative: non devo is must not, while don't have to is non è necessario.
The past of must
Dovevo studiare describes an obligation in the background, unfinished or habitual (I had to study). Ho dovuto studiare reports that it happened once (I had to, and I did). For an obligation that was missed, use the past conditional: avresti dovuto chiamarmi (you should have called me).
Where learners slip
The present is devi, not *duoi. The older forms debbo, debbi, debbono are correct but literary; the subjunctive che io debba is what people actually say. The future contracts to dovr- (dovrò, dovrai, dovrà), the conditional to dovreb- (dovrei, dovrebbe), and the historic past is dovetti, dové, dovettero.
Questions learners ask
Is it devo or debbo?
Both are correct. Devo, devi, deve, devono dominate speech and writing, while debbo and debbono belong to formal and literary style. The present subjunctive only comes in the debba shape: che io debba, che loro debbano.
How do I say "I had to work"?
Dovevo lavorare when you are describing the situation, ho dovuto lavorare when you are reporting that it happened. The distinction is the ordinary imperfect versus compound-past contrast.
How do I say "you shouldn't have done that"?
Non l'avresti dovuto fare, with the past conditional of dovere. A softer, spoken alternative is non dovevi farlo.
Can dovere stand alone?
Yes, with the following verb understood: devo (I have to go), non posso, devo proprio? (must I really?). Short answers are common: sì, devo / no, non devo.
中文说明
dovere：必须 · 作为情态动词时，助动词常取决于后面的动词，不能只按 dovere 判断。
- 直陈式现在时 · Indicativo presente
- 直陈式未完成过去时 · Indicativo imperfetto
- 直陈式远过去时 · Indicativo passato remoto
- 直陈式简单将来时 · Indicativo futuro semplice
- 条件式现在时 · Condizionale presente
- 虚拟式现在时 · Congiuntivo presente
- 虚拟式未完成过去时 · Congiuntivo imperfetto
Practise dovere
Present indicative · io
Practise in the order io, tu, lui / lei, noi, voi, loro, then move on to the next tense.
Put the forms back into sentences
Meet the same verb in real contexts with the grammar notes and the graded reading material.
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