The Italian verb "dovere" means "to have to/must" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "dovere" across all 5 tenses. New to Italian verbs? Start with the Italian verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "dovere" in the Present Tense
Presente indicativo Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | devo |
| tu | you (informal) | devi |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | deve |
| noi | we | dobbiamo |
| voi | you all | dovete |
| loro | they | devono |
Lui deve lavorare.
He must work.
How to Conjugate "dovere" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passato prossimo Actions that finished in the recent past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | ho dovuto |
| tu | you (informal) | hai dovuto |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | ha dovuto |
| noi | we | abbiamo dovuto |
| voi | you all | avete dovuto |
| loro | they | hanno dovuto |
Lui ha dovuto correre.
He had to run.
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Imperfetto Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | dovevo |
| tu | you (informal) | dovevi |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | doveva |
| noi | we | dovevamo |
| voi | you all | dovevate |
| loro | they | dovevano |
Lei doveva lavorare fino tardi.
She had to work until late.
How to Conjugate "dovere" in the Future Tense
Futuro semplice Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | dovrò |
| tu | you (informal) | dovrai |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | dovrà |
| noi | we | dovremo |
| voi | you all | dovrete |
| loro | they | dovranno |
Lui dovrà partire presto.
He will have to leave early.
How to Conjugate "dovere" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Condizionale presente Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| io | I | dovrei |
| tu | you (informal) | dovresti |
| lui/lei | he/she/you (formal) | dovrebbe |
| noi | we | dovremmo |
| voi | you all | dovreste |
| loro | they | dovrebbero |
Lui dovrebbe lavorare domani.
He should work tomorrow.
Frequently Asked Questions About "dovere"
Is "dovere" regular or irregular in Italian?
"Dovere" is an irregular Italian verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "dovere" mean in English?
The Italian verb "dovere" means "to have to/must" in English.
How do you conjugate "dovere" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente indicativo): io → devo, tu → devi, lui/lei → deve, noi → dobbiamo, voi → dovete, loro → devono.
How many tenses does "dovere" have in Italian?
"Dovere" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Italian: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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