Italian · Everyday Verbs
"must (to have to)" in Italian: dovere
dovere
Must or to have to in Italian is dovere (doh-VEH-reh). Present forms include devo, devi, deve, dobbiamo, dovete, devono. Devo andare means I have to go.
Leaving a party
Devo andare: domani lavoro presto.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce dovere
Say it
doh-VEH-reh
/doˈve.re/
Dovere stresses VEH: doh-VEH-reh. Devo is DEH-voh. Devi is DEH-vee.
"must (to have to)" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| dovere | to have to / must Obligation. | Obligation. |
| devo / devi / deve | I / you / he-she must Singular present. | Singular present. |
| dobbiamo | we have to Shared obligation. | Shared obligation. |
| devo + infinitive | I have to… Devo studiare, devo partire. | Devo studiare, devo partire. |
How to use dovere in real life
- 1Leaving a party
Devo andare: domani lavoro presto.
I have to go: tomorrow I work early.
Devo + infinitive.
- 2Reminder
Devi portare i documenti.
You have to bring the documents.
Devi informal tu.
- 3Team deadline
Dobbiamo finire entro stasera.
We have to finish by tonight.
Dobbiamo.
Mistakes English speakers make with dovere
Incorrect: Io dovere studiare.
Correct: Devo studiare.
Conjugate: devo, not io dovere.
Incorrect: Ho a go (English mix).
Correct: Devo andare.
Use dovere + infinitive.
Good to know
Devo… is direct. Soften with dovrei (I should) when you want less force. Train announcements and school talk use dovere constantly.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Getting ready for a train
ChatPal
A che ora devi essere in stazione?
What time do you have to be at the station?
You
Devo arrivare entro le sei e venti.
I have to arrive by six twenty.
ChatPal
Allora dobbiamo uscire adesso.
Then we have to leave now.
You
Sì. Devi prendere anche il biglietto?
Yes. Do you have to get the ticket too?
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"must (to have to)" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "must (to have to)" in Italian
Devo or ho bisogno?
Devo is obligation; ho bisogno di is need.
How do I say I must not?
Non devo + infinitive.
Softer should?
Dovrei.
Formal you must?
Deve with lei.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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