How to Say ‘What should I do?’ in French
Qu'est-ce que je dois faire ?
k eh suh kuh zhuh dwah fehr
[k eh suh kuh zhuh dwah fehr]
💬 Usage Tip: Je dois means I must or I should. Very useful for asking for instructions.
🇫🇷 In France: Asking clear follow-up questions is normal and welcomed in French clinics.
Phrase Breakdown
Qu'
[k]
what
Shortened form used in questions; part of 'Qu'est-ce que' meaning 'what'.
Qu'est-ce que je dois faire si la poule respire mal ?
What should I do if the hen is breathing badly?
est
[eh]
is
Form of 'être' meaning 'is'; part of the question pattern here.
Qu'est-ce que je dois faire ce soir ?
What should I do this evening?
-ce
[suh]
this
In 'est-ce que', this is part of a fixed structure used to form questions.
Qu'est-ce que je dois faire à la maison en premier ?
What should I do at home first?
que
[kuh]
that
Here it belongs to the fixed question expression 'qu'est-ce que'.
Qu'est-ce que je dois faire pour le traitement ?
What should I do for the treatment?
je
[zhuh]
I
Subject pronoun meaning 'I'.
Qu'est-ce que je dois faire après la visite ?
What should I do after the visit?
dois
[dwah]
must / should
From 'devoir'; expresses obligation or what one should do.
Qu'est-ce que je dois faire si elle ne mange pas ?
What should I do if she doesn’t eat?
faire
[fehr]
to do
Infinitive verb meaning 'to do' or 'to make'.
Qu'est-ce que je dois faire avec ce médicament ?
What should I do with this medicine?
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