French Phrase
On doit le finir.
Meaning
Literally, ‘One must finish it’ or ‘We have to finish it.’ The sentence conveys a sense of obligation about completing a specific thing that has already been mentioned.
When to use
Use this phrase when you or a group are responsible for completing a task that has already been identified (e.g., a report, a project, a meal). It is informal and typical in everyday conversation, especially among friends, classmates, or coworkers.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ondoitlefinir
On (impersonal pronoun)
‘On’ is an informal pronoun that can mean ‘we’, ‘one’, or ‘people in general’, and is used more often in spoken French than ‘nous’.
devoir (must, have to)
‘Doit’ is the third‑person singular present of the modal verb ‘devoir’, expressing obligation or necessity.
le (direct object pronoun)
‘Le’ replaces a masculine singular noun that is the direct object of the verb; it must precede the conjugated verb or infinitive.
finir (infinitive)
‘Finir’ is the infinitive form of the verb ‘to finish’; after a modal verb like ‘devoir’, the infinitive follows directly.
🗨In Conversation
On doit le finir avant demain.
We have to finish it before tomorrow.
D'accord, je m'en occupe ce soir.
Okay, I’ll take care of it tonight.
✕Common Mistakes
On doivent le finir.
The verb ‘devoir’ must be conjugated to match the subject; ‘doit’ is correct for ‘on’, but learners sometimes mistakenly use ‘doivent’ with ‘on’.
On doit finir le.
The object pronoun must stay before the conjugated verb; placing it after the infinitive (e.g., ‘finir le’) is incorrect.
On doit le finir.
In very formal writing, ‘on’ can sound too casual; replace with ‘nous devons’ if the register requires formality.
↔Alternatives
Il faut le finir.
It must be finished.
Nous devons le finir.
We must finish it.
Il faut le terminer.
It needs to be completed.
Cultural Tip
In French, ‘on’ is preferred over ‘nous’ in most spoken contexts because it sounds more natural and less formal. However, in written or very formal speech, you might see ‘nous devons le finir.’ Also, remember that the direct object pronoun ‘le’ always comes before the conjugated verb, not after it.