Passé simple - with 'devoir'

26E

Passé simple – with devoir  (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

Sujet  +  "devoir"(Passé simple)  +  verbe principal (Infinitif)

Sujet  +  (dus,  dus,  dut,  dûmes,  dûtes,  durent)  +  verbe principal (Infinitif)

26E

Examples:

Example 1 (masculin / féminin singulier)

Il (elle) dut chercher la solution. (Literary tense, rarely used in speaking)

He (she) did have to look for the solution. (and fulfilled that obligation) (for emphasis, negative, or asking a question)

He (she) had to look for the solution. (and fulfilled that obligation)