dovere Italian · revision 37454

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1211|origins=la habeō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /doˈve.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dovere''' (first-person singular present dèvo or dévo or dèbbo or débbo, first-person singular past historic dovétti or (traditional) dovètti or dovéi, past participle dovùto, first-person singular future dovrò, no imperative, auxiliary avére or (as an auxiliary, with main verbs taking essere) èssere)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|dēbeō|t=to owe; to be under an obligation]],^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) contracted from an older “*dē-habeō”, a compound of [[m|la|dē-|t=away from]] and [[m|la|habeō|t=to have, hold]], the source of [[avere]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The compound meant “to hold something one has received from someone else”, and so “to be bound to give it back”.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Plautus once has the uncontracted perfect “dēhibuistī”,^(de Vaan 2008) and the verb is attested from Plautus onwards.^(LEI|19, 391) The Latin noun [[m|la|dēbitum]], from the same verb, gave [[debito]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The first vowel of “dovere” was ⟨e⟩: unstressed /e/ became /o/ before the labial consonant, as in [[domandare]] and [[domani]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968) Forms that keep the ⟨e⟩, such as “devere”, are recorded too.^(LEI|19, 391)^(Prati 1951) Tommaseo compared the Latin inscription spelling “devitum” for “debitum”, with /b/ turned into /v/.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ The verb is [[fr|devoir]], [[oc|dever]], [[ca|deure]], [[es|deber]] and [[pt|dever]],^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) and [[sc|devere]] and [[rm|dovair]].^(REW 1935) Romanian and the dialects of southern Italy lack it: there a phrase of [[la|inde|t=from there]] and [[m|la|habeō]] took its place.^(DEI|1388) In Late Latin the verb, like [[grc|μέλλω|tr=méllō]] in Greek, served to form a periphrastic future, which survives in Sardinian.^(DEI|1388)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is from 1211, in a Florentine text, with the sense “to be obliged to”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010) Before 1250 Giacomo da Lentini used it of what is probable, and before 1292 Bono Giamboni of what one needs to do.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Latin sense “to owe” remained: the LEI records ''dovere'' “to owe money” from Dante, around 1319,^(LEI) while DELI dates the sense “to be a debtor” only from Giovanni Della Casa, before 1556.^(DELI 1999) As a modal verb ''dovere'' came to cover obligation, necessity, advisability (in the conditional, ''dovresti''), intention (“to be due to”) and probability (''deve essere tardi'', “it must be late”).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ The infinitive used as a noun, ''il dovere'' “duty”, is first found in Dante.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The LEI counts it among the most firmly established noun infinitives of Italian, supported by the parallel of ''piacere''.^(LEI|19, 391) French ''devoir'' influenced some of its senses and phrases,^(GDLI) and the sense “school homework”, from the north and, from the 19th century, copies the French word.^(DEI|1388) The plural ''doveri'' “respects, compliments” is recorded in 1855.^(Prati 1951) Dante writes in the ''Purgatorio'': ''ch'io solva il mio dover anzi ch'io mova'' (“that I fulfil my duty before I move on”).^(GDLI)

+

+ Derivatives followed: ''dovuto'' “owed, due” from 1354 (Passavanti), ''il dovuto'' “what is due” from before 1388 (Antonio Pucci), and ''doveroso'' “dutiful, proper” from the 15th century.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1211 – First record of ''dovere'' “to be obliged”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1250 – Giacomo da Lentini uses it for probability.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni uses it for necessity.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1313–1319 – Dante uses the noun ''dovere'' “duty”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1319 – ''Dovere'' “to owe money” in Dante.^(LEI)

+ * 1354 – ''Dovuto'' “due” in Iacopo Passavanti.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1388 – ''Il dovuto'' “what is owed” in Antonio Pucci.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 15th century – ''Doveroso'' in Alessandro Braccio.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1855 – ''Doveri'' “compliments, respects” is recorded.^(Prati 1951)

+ * 19th century – The northern sense “homework”, after French ''devoir''.^(DEI|1388)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(modal)'' To [[m|en|have to]], be [[m|en|obliged]] to do something, by a rule, by one's conscience or by circumstances: ''domani devo alzarmi alle sei''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(modal)'' To need to, out of physical need: ''dopo la corsa devo bere qualcosa''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(modal, in the conditional)'' Of what is advisable: ''dovresti telefonarle''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(modal)'' To be due to, to have planned to: ''il treno deve arrivare alle otto''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(modal)'' Of probability: must: ''devono essere già partiti''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|owe]]: ''ti devo venti euro''.^(Wiktionary)^(LEI)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To owe, be indebted for: ''deve la sua carriera al maestro''.^(LEI)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|duty]], an [[m|en|obligation]] imposed by morality or law: ''il senso del dovere''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''Dovere!'': a polite reply turning down thanks, “it was my duty”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)

+ # What is right and proper; in ''a dovere'', “properly, as it should be”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(dated, in the plural)'' Respects, greetings: ''i miei doveri alla signora''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[doveroso]]

+ * [[dovuto]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[avere]]

+ * [[debito]]

+ * [[la|debeo]]

+ * [[fr|devoir]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The present has both ''devo'' and ''debbo''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Used as a modal, ''dovere'' tends to take the auxiliary of the verb it accompanies (''sono dovuto partire''), though ''avere'' is also common (''ho dovuto partire''), especially to stress the obligation.^(Zingarelli 2010) Common phrases are ''come si deve'' “properly” and ''chi di dovere'' “the person responsible”.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}