The French verb "vouloir" means "to want" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "vouloir" across all 5 tenses. New to French verbs? Start with the French verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "vouloir" in the Present Tense
Présent de l'indicatif Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | veux |
| tu | you (informal) | veux |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | veut |
| nous | we | voulons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | voulez |
| ils/elles | they | veulent |
Elle veut apprendre le français.
She wants to learn French.
How to Conjugate "vouloir" in the Past (completed) Tense
Passé composé Actions completed in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | ai voulu |
| tu | you (informal) | as voulu |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | a voulu |
| nous | we | avons voulu |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | avez voulu |
| ils/elles | they | ont voulu |
Elle a voulu manger.
She wanted to eat.
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Imparfait Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | voulais |
| tu | you (informal) | voulais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | voulait |
| nous | we | voulions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | vouliez |
| ils/elles | they | voulaient |
Elle voulait voyager en Italie.
She wanted to travel to Italy.
How to Conjugate "vouloir" in the Future Tense
Futur simple Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | voudrai |
| tu | you (informal) | voudras |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | voudra |
| nous | we | voudrons |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | voudrez |
| ils/elles | they | voudront |
Il voudra apprendre le français.
He will want to learn French.
How to Conjugate "vouloir" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Conditionnel présent Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| je | I | voudrais |
| tu | you (informal) | voudrais |
| il/elle/on | he/she/one | voudrait |
| nous | we | voudrions |
| vous | you (formal/plural) | voudriez |
| ils/elles | they | voudraient |
Elle voudrait apprendre le piano.
She would like to learn the piano.
Frequently Asked Questions About "vouloir"
Is "vouloir" regular or irregular in French?
"Vouloir" is an irregular French verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "vouloir" mean in English?
The French verb "vouloir" means "to want" in English.
How do you conjugate "vouloir" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Présent de l'indicatif): je → veux, tu → veux, il/elle/on → veut, nous → voulons, vous → voulez, ils/elles → veulent.
How many tenses does "vouloir" have in French?
"Vouloir" is conjugated across 5 tenses in French: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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