Introduction to Vouloir
Vouloir is an essential irregular French verb meaning to want. It is commonly used to express desires, requests, or polite offers. Unlike regular verbs, its conjugation does not follow a fixed pattern, so learning its forms is important for clear communication in French.
Present Tense Conjugation
The present tense of vouloir shows how to express current wants or desires. Since it's irregular, the stem and endings vary.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | veux | want | Je veux un café. | I want a coffee. |
| Tu | veux | want | Tu veux partir. | You want to leave. |
| Il/Elle/On | veut | wants | Elle veut un livre. | She wants a book. |
| Nous | voulons | want | Nous voulons manger. | We want to eat. |
| Vous | voulez | want | Vous voulez venir ? | Do you want to come? |
| Ils/Elles | veulent | want | Ils veulent jouer. | They want to play. |
Past Tense Conjugation (Passé Composé)
In the passé composé, vouloir uses avoir as the auxiliary verb combined with the past participle voulu to say "wanted".
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | ai voulu | wanted | J'ai voulu partir tôt. | I wanted to leave early. |
| Tu | as voulu | wanted | Tu as voulu un dessert. | You wanted a dessert. |
| Il/Elle/On | a voulu | wanted | Il a voulu aider. | He wanted to help. |
| Nous | avons voulu | wanted | Nous avons voulu réussir. | We wanted to succeed. |
| Vous | avez voulu | wanted | Vous avez voulu venir. | You wanted to come. |
| Ils/Elles | ont voulu | wanted | Elles ont voulu partir. | They wanted to leave. |
Future Tense Conjugation
For talking about future desires, vouloir is conjugated in the future tense with the stem voudr-.
| French Pronoun | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je | voudrai | will want | Je voudrai une voiture. | I will want a car. |
| Tu | voudras | will want | Tu voudras venir demain. | You will want to come tomorrow. |
| Il/Elle/On | voudra | will want | Il voudra apprendre. | He will want to learn. |
| Nous | voudrons | will want | Nous voudrons voyager. | We will want to travel. |
| Vous | voudrez | will want | Vous voudrez réussir. | You will want to succeed. |
| Ils/Elles | voudront | will want | Elles voudront chanter. | They will want to sing. |
Usage Notes
Vouloir is often used in polite expressions by softening the tone, especially with vouloir bien (to be willing). For example, Voulez-vous un café ? politely asks "Do you want a coffee?" rather than a blunt demand. It is also used in fixed phrases such as Je ne veux pas (I do not want).
Related Verbs
Consider complementing your study of vouloir with verbs like pouvoir (to be able/can) and devoir (must/have to), which often appear in similar contexts expressing ability or obligation.
Summary
Mastering the irregular verb vouloir is key for expressing wants and desires in French. Its irregular conjugations appear frequently, making it a versatile verb for everyday conversation.
