vouloir
/vu.lwaʁ/
To want to in French is vouloir.
vouloir is used to express having a desire or a wish to do something. You can also use the phrase avoir envie de to express wanting to do something in a more casual manner.
Which one should you use?
While vouloir expresses a direct want, the conditional form voudrais is used to express a wish more politely, similar to the English "would like". Additionally, adding bien to the verb, such as in je veux bien, can soften the expression to mean "to be willing to" or "to be okay with" something rather than expressing a strong desire.
How does it change in a sentence?
The infinitive form vouloir is used after another conjugated verb to express the desire to perform an action. Common present indicative forms include je veux (I want) and vous voulez (you want).
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /vu.lwaʁ/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use vouloir to mean "to be able to". In French, that requires the verb pouvoir.
Did you know?
- French uses vouloir in the phrase vouloir dire, which literally means 'to want to say' but is the standard way to say 'to mean'.
- The English word 'volunteer' comes from the same root as vouloir, reflecting the idea of doing something because one wants to.
- In old-fashioned or formal French, vouloir can be used in a way that mimics a legal command, such as in the phrase Veuillez agréer, meaning 'Please accept'.
Examples in context
- Vous allez vouloir voir ça.You're going to want to see this.This sentence uses vouloir to show a future intention to see something.Tatoeba #7414074 by lbdx, translation #2015298 by CK
- Es-tu sûr de vouloir y aller ?Are you sure that you want to go there?This sentence uses vouloir to ask about a desire to go somewhere.Tatoeba #1368784 by sacredceltic, translation #953131 by CK
- Tom semble vouloir aider Mary.Tom seems to want to help Mary.This sentence uses vouloir to describe someone's apparent desire to help.Tatoeba #6593899 by GB3, translation #2014366 by CK
- Je souhaite partir en vacances.I want to go on vacation.
- Je désire acheter de nouveaux vêtements.I desire to buy new clothes.
- Elle a envie de partir plus tôt.She wants to leave earlier.
- Nous avons envie de changer de travail.We want to change jobs.
- Je veux sortir ce soir.I want to go out tonight.
- Tu veux venir chez moi demain ?Do you want to come to my place tomorrow?
- On veut essayer ce restaurant.We want to try this restaurant.
- J'ai envie de manger une pizza.I want to eat pizza.
- T'as envie de regarder un film ce soir ?Do you want to watch a movie tonight?
- On a envie de partir en vacances ensemble.We want to go on vacation together.
- 134 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- ChloéEst-ce que tu veux manger italien ce soir ?Do you want to eat Italian tonight?
- GabrielJe ne sais pas, je veux essayer un nouveau restaurant.I don't know, I want to try a new restaurant.
- ChloéD'accord, je vais vouloir regarder les avis en ligne.Okay, I'm going to want to check the reviews online.
- GabrielC'est une bonne idée, Chloé.That is a good idea, Chloé.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry vouloir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
