Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| хоте́ть | xotétʹ | imperfective |
| захоте́ть | zaxotétʹ | perfective |
| жела́ть | želátʹ | imperfective |
| пожела́ть | poželátʹ | perfective |
The verb хоте́ть is used to express a desire for something or a wish to perform an action. To express wanting to do something, you use хоте́ть followed directly by the infinitive of the second verb.
Which one should you use?
The imperfective form хоте́ть is used to describe a continuous state of wanting or a general desire. In contrast, the perfective form захоте́ть describes the sudden onset of a desire or a specific instance of wanting something. While хоте́ть is the standard verb for wanting, жела́ть is a more formal and elevated synonym often used in the context of wishes, blessings or formal desires.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The first person singular present tense of хоте́ть is хочу́ (I want).
How do you pronounce it?
xotétʹ
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly treat хоте́ть as a purely stative verb, but in Russian, it can be used in various aspectual combinations to indicate the beginning of a desire (захоте́ть).
Did you know?
- In Russian, the verb хоте́ть is one of the few verbs that has a 'mixed' conjugation. It behaves like one group of verbs in the singular and a different group in the plural.
- In Russian, using хоте́ть can sometimes sound uncomfortably blunt or even demanding depending on the tone, whereas English speakers often use 'want' without such social weight.
- Using не хочу́ with a specific intonation can transform the phrase from 'I don't want' into a strong 'I refuse' or 'I won't'.
Examples in context
- Хотел бы столик на двоих, пожалуйста.I would like a table for two, please.
- Ты сегодня что-нибудь хочешь поесть?Do you want to eat something today?
- Да, я хочу пиццу.Yes, I want pizza.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “want” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
