Question 1

Why does devait translate to "was supposed to" instead of "had to"?

Accepted Answer

In the imparfait tense, devoir often translates to "was supposed to" or "was meant to." It describes an expectation or plan in the past. If you wanted to say the flight "had to" leave at noon and actually did, you would use the passé composé instead: a dû.

Question 2

Does using devait tell us whether the takeoff actually happened at noon?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it strongly implies that it did NOT happen at noon. Using devoir in the imparfait for a scheduled event usually signals that the plan changed, was delayed, or failed. If it had departed on time, you would normally just state the departure as a past fact without using devoir.

Question 3

What would the sentence mean if it used the passé composé instead (Le décollage a dû être à midi)?

Accepted Answer

The meaning would change entirely. In the passé composé, devoir expresses either a fulfilled obligation ("had to") or a strong deduction. In this context, it would translate to "The takeoff must have been at noon" (meaning you are guessing or deducing the time based on evidence).

Question 4

Is it normal to use être for an event happening at a certain time, rather than a phrase like avoir lieu?

Accepted Answer

Yes, using être à plus a time is very common and natural in French for schedules. While you could certainly use avoir lieu (to take place), simply using être is a perfectly idiomatic and everyday way to state when an event is planned.

Le décollage devait être à midi.

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