Vouloir (to want) · Présent
By TutorLily Editorial Team · Last updated
Vouloir in the French présent is: je veux, tu veux, il/elle/on veut, nous voulons, vous voulez, ils/elles veulent. The present of vouloir is irregular. 'Je veux un café' (I want a coffee) is direct; 'je voudrais un café' (conditionnel) is the polite default. The stem alternates between 'veu-' (stressed) and 'voul-' (unstressed).
| To Want | Vouloir |
|---|---|
| I want | je veux |
| you want | tu veux |
| he/she wants | il/elle/on veut |
| we want | nous voulons |
| you want | vous voulez |
| they want | ils/elles veulent |
Vouloir (to want) in context
Sentences that use vouloir in the présent. Tap each to hear it.
I want to learn French.
Do you want a coffee?
She wants to leave early tonight.
We want to buy a house.
Do you really want to leave now?
They want to travel to Asia.
Working with the présent
French uses the present tense more broadly than English does. "Je parle français" can mean "I speak French," "I am speaking French," or "I do speak French" — context decides. Note that "on" (technically third-person singular: "on parle") is the everyday spoken equivalent of "nous" — French speakers use it constantly in conversation. "Nous parlons" feels more formal or written; "on parle" is what you actually hear in everyday speech.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate vouloir in the present tense?
Why is 'je voudrais' more polite than 'je veux'?
What's the difference between 'vouloir' and 'aimer'?
Practice Vouloir (To Want) in real conversations
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