TutorLily
Try for Free
FrenchConjugationConditionnel

Vouloir (to want) · Conditionnel

By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated

Vouloir in the French conditionnel présent is: je voudrais, tu voudrais, il/elle/on voudrait, nous voudrions, vous voudriez, ils/elles voudraient. The conditionnel présent of vouloir is the politeness workhorse of French. 'Je voudrais un café' (I would like a coffee) is the universal polite request structure. Same stem 'voudr-' as the futur, with imperfect endings.

vouloir conjugation in the Conditionnel Présent
To WantVouloir
I would want
je voudrais
you would want
tu voudrais
he/she would want
il/elle/on voudrait
we would want
nous voudrions
you would want
vous voudriez
they would want
ils/elles voudraient
Examples

Vouloir (to want) in context

Sentences that use vouloir in the conditionnel. Tap each to hear it.

Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît.

I would like a coffee, please.

Tu voudrais venir avec nous?

Would you like to come with us?

Il voudrait changer de travail.

He would like to change jobs.

Nous voudrions réserver une table.

We would like to reserve a table.

Vous voudriez un dessert?

Would you like a dessert?

Ils voudraient partir en vacances.

They would like to go on vacation.

Tip

Working with the conditionnel

The conditionnel présent ("je parlerais") expresses what would happen if a condition were met ("si j'avais le temps, je voyagerais" — if I had time, I would travel). It's also the standard form for polite requests in French: "je voudrais" (I would like) is the polite version of "je veux"; "pourriez-vous" (could you) is the polite version of "pouvez-vous". Structurally, the conditionnel uses the same stem as the futur with imperfect endings: parler- + -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. Knowing the futur stem of any verb gives you the conditionnel for free — one of the most efficient pedagogy points in French.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How do you conjugate vouloir in the conditionnel?
The conditionnel of vouloir is: je voudrais, tu voudrais, il/elle/on voudrait, nous voudrions, vous voudriez, ils/elles voudraient. Same stem 'voudr-' as the futur, plus imperfect endings.
Why is 'je voudrais' the polite default in French?
'Je voudrais' (conditionnel) softens 'je veux' (direct present indicative) into a polite request. Comparable to English 'I would like' vs 'I want'. In French, the politeness gap between these two is much bigger than in English — saying 'je veux un café' in a café sounds borderline rude, while 'je voudrais un café' is the universal polite default. Always start with the conditional in service interactions.
What does 'tu voudrais que je...' mean?
'Tu voudrais que je + subjonctif' = 'would you like me to + verb': 'tu voudrais que je vienne?' (would you like me to come?). The structure pairs the conditionnel of vouloir with the subjonctif in the dependent clause. It's the standard polite way to offer help or check intentions: 'tu voudrais que je t'aide?' (would you like me to help you?).
TutorLily

Practice Vouloir (To Want) in real conversations

TutorLily is your personal language tutor that catches every mistake gently and keeps the conversation going.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

3-day free trial · Cancel anytime · 50+ languages

As seen on
BBC News

More tenses of Vouloir (To Want)

← Previous tense
Vouloir (to want) · Futur

More verbs in conditionnel

All tenses
Vouloir (to want)
conditionnel
Être (to be)
conditionnel
Avoir (to have)
conditionnel
Aller (to go)
Get TutorLily