How French works
Beginner Unit 10:

Saying you want to do something

Key points

  • The verb vouloir is an irregular verb meaning to want.
  • It can be used in front of nouns or verbs.

When you want to express the idea of wanting something, the most common way is to use vouloir. Vouloir is an irregular verb , and conjugates like this:

Table 5: irregular verbs
vouoir to want
je veux
tu veux
il / elle veut
nous voulons
vous voulez
ils / elles veulent

Note

Like I want in English, je veux can sound a bit harsh. A way of “softening” it is to use the form known as the conditional:

Je voudrais une pomme

I’d like an apple

Vouloir is often used in front of a noun to express to want something:

Je veux un sandwich

I want a sandwich

Elle veut une bicyclette pour son anniversaire

She wants a bicycle for her birthday

Vouloir can also be used in front of a verb in the infinitive to express to want to do something:

Tu veux jouer au tennis avec moi?

Do you want to play tennis with me?

Nous voulons aller au cinéma

We want to go to the cinema

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How French Works was written and coded by Chris Dawson.