Question 1

Why is devoir followed directly by the infinitive respecter without a preposition?

Accepted Answer

In French, modal verbs like devoir, pouvoir, vouloir take a bare infinitive (no de or à) when they indicate obligation, ability, or desire. So you say devoir + respecter rather than devoir de respecter or devoir à respecter.

Question 2

Could I use on doit instead of nous devons here?

Accepted Answer

Yes. On is an informal substitute for nous and also means “we.”  
– Formal: Nous devons respecter…  
– Conversational: On doit respecter…  
Both convey the same obligation, but nous is more formal or emphatic.

Question 3

Why is the second verb voulons also in the present tense, not the future?

Accepted Answer

In French si–clauses (conditional “if” statements), the verb in the si clause must be in the present, imperfect, or plus-que-parfait, never in the future. The main clause can be future, but here the main clause stays present (nous devons), so the subordinate stays present too: si nous voulons (“if we want”).

Question 4

Can I say si nous voudrons to match “if we will want”?

Accepted Answer

No. French grammar prohibits using the future tense after si. Always use the present for real conditions:  
Correct: si nous voulons  
Incorrect: si nous voudrons

Question 5

What does respecter notre budget exactly mean?

Accepted Answer

Literally “to respect our budget,” but idiomatically it means “to stick to our budget” or “to keep to our budget” (i.e. not to overspend).

Question 6

Why is it notre budget and not le budget?

Accepted Answer

Using notre specifies “our own budget,” making it clear you’re talking about the budget that belongs to “us.” Le budget would mean “the budget” in a general sense, without that personal possessive nuance.

Question 7

Is there any difference between louer un appartement and prendre un appartement?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Louer specifically means “to rent.” Prendre un appartement could sometimes be understood (“to take/rent an apartment”), but it’s less precise. Always use louer when you mean “rent.”

Question 8

Could I use appartement à louer instead of louer un appartement?

Accepted Answer

You’d change the sentence structure: appartement à louer is an adjective phrase meaning “an apartment to rent.” You could say:  
Nous devons respecter notre budget pour trouver un appartement à louer.  
But then you’ve switched si→pour and rephrased the purpose.

Question 9

Why is there no article before respecter, like le respecter?

Accepted Answer

Respecter here takes a direct object (notre budget). If you wrote le respecter, le would replace budget (“to respect it”). But because you’re naming the object (“our budget”), you keep notre budget without any extra article.

Question 10

Can I shorten si nous voulons to si on veut?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. On veut is perfectly acceptable in spoken and informal written French:  
Nous devons respecter notre budget si on veut louer un appartement.  
This is more casual but widely used in everyday conversation.

Nous devons respecter notre budget si nous voulons louer un appartement.

Breakdown of Nous devons respecter notre budget si nous voulons louer un appartement.

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