ich möchte
/ɪç ˈmœç.tʰə/word by word
In German, "I want to" is expressed as ich möchte.
ich möchte is a polite way to express a wish or a desire for something.
Which one should you use?
While ich möchte is a polite way to express a desire, ich will is much more direct and can sound demanding or rude in many social situations.
How does it change in a sentence?
ich möchte is a subjunctive form of the verb mögen and functions as a polite modal verb. When using ich möchte with another verb, the second verb always moves to the end of the sentence in its infinitive form.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɪç ˈmœç.tʰə/. The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid adding zu before the second verb, such as saying ich möchte zu tun. Because ich möchte is a modal verb, it should be followed directly by the infinitive without zu.
Did you know?
- While ich möchte is used for desires, Germans often use the phrase ich hätte gern (I would gladly have) when ordering food in restaurants. It is an even more common way to express a want in a service setting.
- In German, if you use the direct version ich will, you might sound like a child having a tantrum. While English speakers can use 'I want' relatively freely, Germans prefer the softer ich möchte to avoid being perceived as demanding.
- The verb mögen in ich möchte originally meant 'to like' rather than 'to want'. Using the subjunctive form transformed a simple expression of liking into a polite way to request something.
Examples in context
- Ich möchte es tun.I want to do it.This sentence shows the use of ich möchte to express a desire to perform an action.Tatoeba #6625918 by Felixjp, translation #2011309 by CK
- Ich möchte das tun.I want to do this.Tatoeba #6625922 by Felixjp, translation #2011369 by CK
- Ich möchte so leben.I want to live like that.Tatoeba #6644087 by Felixjp, translation #5193583 by CK
- Ich möchte Deutsch lernen.I want to learn German.
- Ich will Eis essen.I want to eat ice cream.
- Ich habe Bock auf eine Party.I'm up for a party / I feel like going to a party.
- 969 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Laura are at a cafe deciding what to do.
- JulianIch möchte ein Eis essen.I would like to eat an ice cream.
- LauraDas klingt gut, Julian.That sounds good, Julian.
- JulianMöchtest du auch etwas?Would you also like something?
- LauraJa, ich möchte auch ein Eis.Yes, I would also like an ice cream.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ich, möchte) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
