deveis

Deveis is the second-person plural present indicative form of the Portuguese verb dever, used with the archaic pronoun vós to express obligation: "you ought to" or "you must." Although historically common in European Portuguese, the vós form is now rare in everyday speech and writing. In modern Brazilian Portuguese, the equivalent meaning is normally conveyed with vocês devem.

Etymology and morphology: Dever traces to Latin debēre “to owe, ought to.” The form deveis is the second-person plural of dever in the present tense, reflecting the vós-conjugation pattern that remains in some traditional or formal registers.

Pronunciation and usage notes: In standard European Portuguese, deveis is typically pronounced roughly de-veis, with the stress on the second syllable; diacritic variations occur with regional accents. The use of vós-deveis is considered archaic in most contexts and is commonly used to evoke historical tone or religious solemnity.

Usage and examples: In contemporary texts, deveis appears mainly in literature, religious writings, or legal-philosophical prose that seeks an antiquated register. In everyday speech, speakers would say vocês devem or tu deves, depending on number and formality.

Example: Vós deveis obedecer às leis.