When learning a language, it is a common tactic to learn the most used words. Vouloir is one of the most commonly used verbs in the French language. While it generally translates as "to want in French", it can also have different meanings, depending on the tense used or the context.
In this post, I will share with you the different meanings of the verb vouloir and how to conjugate this useful French verb.
1. What is the meaning of vouloir?
Vouloir basically means to want, to desire, or to wish. However, it can be translated in other ways, depending on the context of use. Below are a few meanings of the French verb vouloir.
*Vouloir - as " would like"
The verb vouloir is often used to be subtle or polite. For instance when instead of saying je veux (I want), courteous people would rather say Je voudrais (I would like). This is a common phrase that you can use in many contexts: while shopping, going to the doctor, at the airport, or in any situation of your life where you want to say politely I would like.
*Vouloir - as "Please" or "Could"
Vouloir is also used to ask nicely someone to do something. We are still in politeness. In that case, the imperative form is used. It could be translated as Please, could or be kind to.
Example: Veuillez refermer la porte après vous (Please, close the door after you/be kind to close the door after you or simply "could you close the door after you?").
Another way, is to use the infinitive form of vouloir, with the adverb bien. Example: Bien vouloir refermer la porte après vous.
*Vouloir used as "a wish" or to express a strong command
Vouloir can also be used as a wish, or to demand something. In that case, the verb vouloir is followed by subjunctive tense.
Example:
Je voudrais que mes enfants viennent me voir à Noël. =>I would like my children to come to see me at Christmas/I wish my children will visit me at Christmas.
Je veux que tu fasses tes devoirs. =>I want you to do your homework / I demand that you do your homework.
*Vouloir used as "to agree"
When used with bien in the present tense, like in the following example, Vouloir is a mark of acceptance, of agreement.
Je veux bien t'aider. => I am ok to help you.
*Vouloir used as a noun: a will/willingness
Vouloir is a masculine word that can be translated as a will in French. Example: Je lui ai demandé de l'aide mais tout dépendra de son bon vouloir. => I asked him for help but everything will depend on his goodwill /willingness.
2. How to conjugate the verb vouloir?
You will find below, the conjugation tables of the main tenses any beginner and intermediate French learner should know.
*Conjugation of Vouloir in the Present tense
Even if vouloir ends with "IR", it is not a regular verb. It is an irregular verb with a stem change. In fact, you have 3 stems for the present tense. Veu - Voul -Veul
Once you know these beginnings, you just need to add the following endings to them, depending on the subject: x - x - t - ons -ez -ent
If it is easier for you to learn with songs, you should check out this Youtube Channel proposing the conjugation of Vouloir in the Present tense.
French | English |
Je veux | I want |
Tu veux | You want |
Il/elle veut | He/She wants |
Nous voulons | We want |
Vous voulez | You want |
Ils/elles veulent | They want |
*Conjugation of Vouloir in the simple future tense
Conjugating in the future tense is quite easy for regular verbs. But for an irregular verb like vouloir,, you need to know the stem which is VOUDR, and then you apply the regular endings of the future tense: ai -as - a- ons - ez- ont.
French | English |
Je voudrai | I will want |
Tu voudras | You will want |
Il/elle voudra | He/she will want |
Nous voudrons | We will want |
Vous voudrez | You will want |
Ils/elles voudront | They will want |
*Conjugating Vouloir in the Imperfect tense
The conjugation base for l'imparfait is Voul. The endings are ais- ais - ait - ions - iez - aient.
French | English |
Je voulais | I wanted |
Tu voulais | You wanted |
Il/elle voulait | He/she wanted |
Nous voulions | We wanted |
Vous vouliez | You wanted |
Ils/elles voulaient | They wanted |
*Conjugation of Vouloir in Passé composé
In the passé composé tense, the verb vouloir is conjugated with the auxiliary avoir in the present tense and the past participle. The past participle of vouloir is "Voulu".
French | English |
J'ai voulu | I wanted |
Tu as voulu | You wanted |
Il/elle a voulu | He/she wanted |
Nous avons voulu | We wanted |
Vous avez voulu | You wanted |
Ils/elles ont voulu | They wanted |
*Conjugating Vouloir in the subjunctive tense
French | English |
Que je veuille | That I want |
Que tu veuilles | That you want |
Qu'il/elle veuille | That he/she wants |
Que nous voulions | That we want |
Que vous vouliez | That you want |
Qu'ils/qu'elles veuillent | That they want |
*Vouloir in the present conditional tense: conjugation table
As you can see, in the present conditional, vouloir is translated as "would like".
French | English |
Je voudrais | I would like |
Tu voudrais | You would like |
Il/elle voudrait | He/she would like |
Nous voudrions | We would like |