French Phrase
Je dois tailler mon crayon.
Meaning
Literally, “I have to sharpen my pencil.” The speaker is expressing an obligation to make the pencil pointier before continuing to write or draw.
When to use
Use this sentence when you’re about to start a writing task, in a classroom, at a desk, or any situation where a dull pencil would slow you down. It’s also a handy way to practice the modal *devoir* with a concrete, everyday action.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Jedoistaillermoncrayon
Je
Subject pronoun meaning 'I'. Always placed before the verb in French.
dois
Present tense of the modal verb *devoir* (to have to). Conjugated as je/tu/il doit → je dois.
tailler
Infinitive verb meaning 'to sharpen' when referring to a pencil; also 'to cut' in other contexts.
mon
Possessive adjective for first‑person singular masculine nouns; agrees with the noun it modifies.
crayon
Masculine noun meaning 'pencil'. In French schools a *crayon à papier* is the standard wooden pencil.
🗨In Conversation
Je dois tailler mon crayon.
I have to sharpen my pencil.
Pas de problème, je t’en prête un si le tien est trop émoussé.
No problem, I’ll lend you one if yours is too dull.
✕Common Mistakes
Je dois couper mon crayon.
‘Couper’ means ‘to cut’, not ‘to sharpen’. Use *tailler* or *aiguiser* for pencils.
Je suis tailler mon crayon.
‘Je suis’ means ‘I am’. To express obligation you need *devoir*: *Je dois*.
↔Alternatives
Il faut que j'aiguise mon crayon.
I need to sharpen my pencil.
Je dois affûter mon crayon.
I must sharpen my pencil.
Je dois rendre mon crayon pointu.
I have to make my pencil pointy.
Cultural Tip
In French primary schools, the word *crayon* usually refers to a wooden *crayon à papier*. The verb *tailler* is the traditional term for sharpening a pencil with a knife or a small cutter, whereas *aiguiser* is more common for mechanical sharpeners. When speaking informally, many French speakers will simply say *Je dois affûter mon crayon* or *Je dois le tailler*.