je veux être médecin
To say "I want to be a doctor" in French, use je veux être médecin.
This phrase is used to express a person's ambition or desire to enter the medical profession.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the first-person singular present tense of the verb vouloir (to want) in the form je veux. This is followed by the infinitive form of the verb être (to be).
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly include the article 'un' before the profession, saying something like "je veux être un médecin". However, the standard way to express this is to omit the article: je veux être médecin.
Did you know?
- While médecin is the standard term for a medical doctor, the word docteur is often used as a title of address or a social honorific, whereas médecin describes the actual profession.
- The French phrase je veux is very direct. In a formal interview or professional setting, a French speaker would likely use the conditional je voudrais to sound more polite and less demanding.
- The word médecin is a back-formation from the Old French verb medeciner, which meant 'to treat medically'. It eventually replaced older terms for physicians like mire and mege.
Examples in context
- Je veux être médecin quand je serai grand.I want to be a doctor when I grow up.This sentence is useful for expressing a future ambition related to growing up using je veux être médecin.Tatoeba #6462306 by lapinhibou, translation #5831999 by CK
- Je veux être médecin.I want to be a doctor.This sentence is a direct way to state your ambition using je veux être médecin.Tatoeba #961191 by Adou_Fr, translation #321715 by CK
- Plus tard, je veux être médecin.Later, I want to be a doctor.
Example conversation
Two students are discussing their future career goals.
- NathanEt toi, quel est ton rêve ?And you, what is your dream?
- LéaJe veux être médecin.I want to be a doctor.
- NathanC'est un métier très difficile.It is a very difficult profession.
- LéaOui, mais c'est passionnant.Yes, but it is exciting.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, médecin, être, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
