French grammar - To want - the verb vouloir

To want - the verb vouloir

The verb vouloir means 'to want'.

Its present tense conjugations are as follows:

• je veux - 'I want'

• tu veux - 'you (familiar) want'

• il & elle veut - 'he/she wants'

• nous voulons - 'we want'

• vous voulez - 'you (plural) want' or 'you (formal) want'

• ils & elles veulent - 'they want'

Caution should be exercised when using vouloir in the first person - je veux can sound abrupt and rude. There are better options for expressing 'I want' or 'I would like' which will be covered in an upcoming topic.

Examples:
	je veux I want
	tu veux you (familiar) want
	il veut he wants
	nous voulons we want
	vous voulez you (formal) want
	ils ne veulent pas they (males) do not want
	elles veulent they (females) want
	Je veux un bel homme et un homme riche. I want a handsome man and a rich man. riche (m) means 'rich' or 'well-off'
	Est-ce que tu veux le riz ? Do you (familiar) want the rice? riz (m) means 'rice'
	Qui veut une part de pizza ? Who wants a piece of pizza? part (f) means 'piece' or 'share'
	Pierre veut-il un demi de bière ? Pierre - does he want a half (25 cl) of beer?
	Pourquoi voulez-vous un nouvel ordinateur aussi cher ? Why do you (formal) want such an expensive new computer?
	Elles veulent quelque chose. They (females) want something.
	Ne veulent-elles pas une carafe d'eau ? Don't they (females) want a jug of water?
	Voulez-vous un café, Monsieur ? Would you (formal) like (do you want) a coffee, Sir?
	Oui, je veux bien, merci. Yes, I would like (that), thank you. vouloir bien has the sense of enthusiastically wanting something