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Nous devons agir ensemble.

Nous devons agir ensemble.
We must act together.
FromLesson 26inHardcore French

Breakdown of Nous devons agir ensemble.

nous
we
ensemble
together
devoir
must
agir
to act

Questions & Answers about Nous devons agir ensemble.

What tense and person is devons, and what verb is it from?

Devons is the present indicative, 1st person plural (we) of devoir. Present-tense pattern:

  • je dois
  • tu dois
  • il/elle/on doit
  • nous devons
  • vous devez
  • ils/elles doivent
Why is agir in the infinitive here?
With devoir, you use an infinitive to express obligation or necessity: devoir + infinitif. So nous devons agir literally means we have the obligation to act.
Can I say On doit agir ensemble instead of Nous devons agir ensemble?

Yes. On is very common in spoken French and often replaces nous. Meaning is the same, but:

  • Nous devons is a bit more formal or written.
  • On doit sounds more conversational. Grammar changes to 3rd person singular: on doit, not on devons.
How do you pronounce the whole sentence?

IPA: /nu dəvɔ̃ zaʒiʁ ɑ̃sɑ̃bl/

Tips:

  • devons: /dəvɔ̃/ (nasal vowel at the end).
  • Liaison between devons and agir gives a /z/ sound: /dəvɔ̃z‿aʒiʁ/.
  • agir: the g before i is the zh sound /ʒ/.
  • ensemble: /ɑ̃sɑ̃bl/ (two nasal vowels; final -e is silent).
Are there any liaisons I should make?

Yes: between devons and agir → /dəvɔ̃z‿aʒiʁ/.
No liaison after nous here because devons starts with a consonant (so not /nuz dəvɔ̃/, but /nu dəvɔ̃/).

Is ensemble variable? Do I ever add an s?

As an adverb meaning together, ensemble is invariable—never add an s.
Only the noun un ensemble (a set/outfit) takes a plural (des ensembles), which is a different use.

Where can ensemble go in the sentence?
  • Most natural: at the end: Nous devons agir ensemble.
  • Fronted for emphasis: Ensemble, nous devons agir.
  • To intensify: Nous devons agir tous ensemble. Avoid the pleonasm ensemble avec X; prefer either avec X or ensemble:
  • Nous devons agir avec eux. / Nous devons agir ensemble.
What’s the difference between agir and faire here?
  • Agir = to take action, to act (in a general or abstract sense).
  • Faire = to do/make something specific.
    Here, French prefers agir for the idea of taking action; faire would sound off unless you specify an object (e.g., faire quelque chose).
How do I make it negative, and does that mean “don’t have to”?
  • Prohibition: Nous ne devons pas agir ensemble. = we must not act together.
  • Lack of necessity (“don’t have to”): avoid ne pas devoir; use:
    • Nous n’avons pas besoin d’agir ensemble.
    • Nous ne sommes pas obligés d’agir ensemble.
How do I soften “must” to “should”?
Use the conditional of devoir: Nous devrions agir ensemble. This expresses advice or recommendation rather than strict obligation.
How do I say it in other tenses?
  • Future: Nous devrons agir ensemble.
  • Imparfait (ongoing/past background): Nous devions agir ensemble.
  • Passé composé (completed necessity): Nous avons dû agir ensemble.
Does devoir also mean “to owe”?
Yes. Devoir can mean to owe (money, favors): Nous devons 20 €. Context tells you which meaning applies. With an infinitive (devoir + infinitif), it’s obligation/probability; with a noun or amount, it’s owing.
Can I express the same idea with il faut?

Yes:

  • General necessity: Il faut agir ensemble.
  • With a specific subject (requires the subjunctive): Il faut que nous agissions ensemble.
How do I say “Let’s act together!”?
Use the 1st person plural imperative of agir: Agissons ensemble !
What’s the difference between agir and s’agir de?
  • Agir = to act/take action.
  • S’agir de is an impersonal expression used only with il: Il s’agit de… = it’s about / it concerns.
    You cannot say nous nous agissons in this sense; that’s ungrammatical.
Do I need tous before ensemble?

Not required, but it changes nuance:

  • Nous devons agir ensemble. = we must act together (as a group).
  • Nous devons tous agir ensemble. = every one of us must act, and do so together (emphasizes each individual).
  • Nous devons agir tous ensemble. = stresses the idea of acting all at the same time.
How do I turn it into a yes/no question?

Three common ways:

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