World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English Dictionariesdevoir
Pronunciation / Transliteration: dəvwaʁ
"Nous devons soumettre le rapport demain."
Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
Used to express an instruction, command, or obligation, particularly in formal, legal, or religious contexts.
"Applicants shall submit their documents by the end of the week." - 2
Used in first-person constructions to make suggestions, offers, or ask for advice.
"Shall we go for a walk in the park?"
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from Old English 'sceal', meaning 'owe' or 'be under obligation', stemming from Proto-Germanic '*skulaną'. Over centuries, it evolved from expressing a debt or obligation to serving as a modal auxiliary verb denoting future intention, necessity, or legal prescription.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Shall"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Shall" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
devoir
Transliteration: dəvwaʁ
"Nous devons soumettre le rapport demain."
sollen
Transliteration: ˈzɔlən
"Die Bewerber sollen das Formular ausfüllen."
dovere
Transliteration: doˈvere
"I candidati devono presentare i documenti."
deber
Transliteration: deˈβeɾ
"Los solicitantes deben presentar sus documentos."
dever
Transliteration: deˈveɾ
"Os candidatos devem enviar os documentos."
चाहिए
Transliteration: chāhiye
"आवेदकों को अपने दस्तावेज़ जमा करने चाहिए।"
应该
Transliteration: yīnggāi
"申请人应当在月底前提交文件。"
~해야 한다
Transliteration: -haeya handa
"지원자는 서류를 제출해야 합니다."
～しなければならない
Transliteration: -shinakereba naranai
"申請者は書類を提出するものとする。"
Related Vocabulary Words to Explore
View all French termsTo think carefully about something, typically before making a decision.
A formal, documented account of findings, investigations, or statistics issued by an authoritative body or government agency.
Used to express pleasure, realization, surprise, or understanding.
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