The verb vouloir (to want) is irregular in Le Présent:
| je veux | I want |
| tu veux | You want (one person you know well) |
| il/elle/on veut | He/She/We/one/people want |
| nous voulons | We want |
| vous voulez | You want (more than 1 person or formal) |
| ils/elles veulent | They want |
Listen to these sentences:
Vouloir = literally: to want. It is a direct way express a desire or wish.
Avoir envie de = "to have a desire for", "to be in the mood for something". L'envie means a wish, a desire or a longing.
Both mean very similar things but the latter is a less direct form to express a wish.
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Bonjour! I had always thought that conjugations like "voulons" and "voulez" were pronounced differently before vowels vs. consonants. For example, I thought "vous voulez de l'eau" would be pronounced "vu vu-lay de l'oh" but "vous voulez une glace" would be pronounced "vu vu-laise une glace." Similarly, "nous voulons de l'eau" would be pronounced "nu vu-lohn de l'oh" (not sure how best to represent the french nasal N) but "nous voulons une glace" would be pronounced "nu vu-lonz une glace."
I notice in the pronunciation sound guides above, however, that the endings of the words are not pronounced prior to a vowel.
Am I wrong about pronunciation before vowels or are the sound clips incorrect?
Hi Jesse,
Indeed you could liaise the -s of 'voulons' or the -z of 'voulez' if it is followed by a vowel but it is an optional liaison and in my opinion it sounds a bit precious and I personally wouldn't in everyday speech.
Hope this helps!
Bonjour! I had always thought that conjugations like "voulons" and "voulez" were pronounced differently before vowels vs. consonants. For example, I thought "vous voulez de l'eau" would be pronounced "vu vu-lay de l'oh" but "vous voulez une glace" would be pronounced "vu vu-laise une glace." Similarly, "nous voulons de l'eau" would be pronounced "nu vu-lohn de l'oh" (not sure how best to represent the french nasal N) but "nous voulons une glace" would be pronounced "nu vu-lonz une glace."
I notice in the pronunciation sound guides above, however, that the endings of the words are not pronounced prior to a vowel.
Am I wrong about pronunciation before vowels or are the sound clips incorrect?
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Hello! Is there a difference between "Vous voulez une glace?" and "Voulez-vous une glace?" I thought that questions had to be done with inversions. Thank you!
Hi Daniel,
Take a look at the following Kwiziq lesson which will give you the most common way of asking questions in French -
Hope this helps!
There a several ways to form a question. Inversion is one of them. I believe there are lessons on that topic available.
Hello! Is there a difference between "Vous voulez une glace?" and "Voulez-vous une glace?" I thought that questions had to be done with inversions. Thank you!
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Hi Alan,
There are also the verbs 'souhaiter ' and 'désirer' to describe a stronger wish rather than something you'd just like to happen.
e.g.
Je lui souhaite une bonne santé = I wish him/her good health
Je désire/souhaite déménager dans les deux ans à venir = I wish to move in the two coming years
Hope this helps!
In general that what it's there for. What did you have in mind, specifically?
But often "wish" is translated using "aimer", too. That has a bit of a more indirect sound, not so commanding.
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Hi Dominic,
Not in this case, you would simply use the present tense in the question.
Vous voulez de l'eau ?
The polite answer might be to say ,
j'en voudrais bien merci.
But the question doesn't need extra politeness, the fact you are offering water is enough.
Hope this helps!
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