dû
due
The French word 'dû' is the past participle of the verb 'devoir' and is used to express something that is owed or required. It is often used in expressions such as 'Il est dû' (It is due) or 'Je lui dois de l'argent' (I owe him money). It is important to note that 'dû' is invariable, meaning it does not change form based on gender or number.
Example sentences using: dû
Il a dû partir tôt ce matin.
He must have left early this morning.
In this sentence, 'dû' is used as the past participle of the French verb 'devoir' (to have to), and it’s used here in the compound tense 'passé composé' to express a strong assumption or likelihood.
C'est dû à une erreur de calcul.
It is due to a calculation error.
Here, 'dû' is used as an adjective following the verb 'être' (to be) in the construction 'être dû à' meaning 'be due to', to denote the cause or reason for a situation.
J'ai dû prendre un autre chemin pour éviter le trafic.
I had to take another path to avoid traffic.
Once again, 'dû' is being used as the past participle of 'devoir' in the 'passé composé' tense. In this context, it means 'had to', expressing obligation in the past.