je le veux
The English phrase "I want it" is expressed in French as je le veux.
je le veux is a phrase used to express a desire to possess or obtain a specific object.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, je le veux translates to "I it want". In French, the object pronoun le is placed before the verb veux, which differs from the English word order.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the phrase changes based on the gender and number of the object you are talking about. If the object being desired is a feminine noun, use je la veux instead of je le veux. If the objects being desired are plural, use je les veux to mean "I want them". To express the negative "I don't want it", you must place the negation particles ne and pas around the pronoun and the verb, resulting in je ne le veux pas.
Did you know?
- While je le veux is grammatically correct, French speakers often use je le voudrais to be more polite, as stating a desire too directly can be seen as aggressive.
- The word je traces its history back to the Classical Latin word egō̆, which is the root of the English word 'ego'.
- The word veux comes from the verb vouloir, which is related to the English word 'will', both descending from roots meaning 'to wish' or 'to intend'.
Examples in context
- C'est exactement comme ça que je le veux.That's exactly how I want it.This sentence shows how to use je le veux to describe how something should be.Tatoeba #1623657 by sacredceltic, translation #1620896 by Spamster
- Je veux l'argent que tu me dois et je le veux maintenant !I want the money you owe me and I want it now.This sentence uses je le veux to demand money immediately.Tatoeba #3598830 by sacredceltic, translation #3594756 by CK
- Je le veux illico presto.I want it right now.This sentence uses je le veux to express wanting something right away.Tatoeba #12620254 by Igider, translation #13578134 by maaster
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are looking at a vintage book in a shop.
- EmmaRegarde ce vieux livre, je le veux !Look at this old book, I want it!
- HugoIl est magnifique, mais il est cher.It is beautiful, but it is expensive.
- EmmaPeu importe, je le veux absolument.It doesn't matter, I absolutely want it.
- HugoD'accord Emma, achetons-le alors.Okay Emma, let's buy it then.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, le, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
