Question 1

Why does Je devais translate to "I was supposed to" instead of "I had to"?

Accepted Answer

When used in the imparfait, devoir followed by an infinitive usually translates to "was supposed to" or "was meant to". It describes a past expectation without confirming if you actually ended up doing the action.

Question 2

How would the meaning change if I used the passé composé and said J'ai dû attendre?

Accepted Answer

Using j'ai dû changes the meaning to "I had to wait". In the passé composé, devoir expresses a completed past obligation, meaning you definitely did wait in the line. This meaning shift between tenses is exactly what you are learning in this lesson!

Question 3

Could Je devais also mean "I owed"?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but only when it is followed by a direct object noun, like a sum of money. Because it is followed by the infinitive verb attendre here, it acts as a modal verb expressing an obligation, rather than a debt.

Question 4

Is dans la file the only way to say "in the line"?

Accepted Answer

You will also frequently hear the idiom faire la queue, which literally means "to do the tail". While attendre dans la file focuses on the physical location of waiting inside the line, faire la queue is the standard expression for the action of standing in line.

Je devais attendre dans la file.

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