Volere Conjugation in Italian
volere means “to want” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 9 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It expresses wishes, wants and polite requests, and it is the verb behind invitations and offers. It can take a noun or an infinitive, and its present and future forms are irregular. This page gives you the complete conjugation of volere — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Io voglio un caffè ogni giorno.” — “I want a coffee.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: volere
- English: to want
- Verb type: Irregular -ere verb
- Irregular in: present, passato-remoto, future, conditional, future-perfect, conditional-perfect, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative
- Gerund: volendo
- Present participle: volente
- Past participle: voluto
- Auxiliary: avere (all perfect tenses are formed with avere + the past participle)
- Ending: -ere verbs; pattern ere in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for volere, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Learn the spelling of the forms first, and listen to a native speaker for the sounds rather than trusting an invented transcription. The forms below are the ones that matter: once you can read volere in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about volere
- It is irregular in 9 tense(s): present, passato-remoto, future, conditional, future-perfect, conditional-perfect, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative. Learn those forms as a set instead of guessing them from the infinitive, because the stem changes in ways no rule predicts.
- The perfect tenses use avere: the passato prossimo is formed with avere in the present plus the past participle voluto. The tables on this page give the participle in the masculine singular form, exactly as it appears in the verified dump; agreement with the subject is a separate step that depends on the sentence, not on the verb table.
- The participles are volente and voluto: keep both in mind as you read the tables, because the present participle appears as an adjective and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. If you know those two forms and the present tense, you already know the skeleton of the whole conjugation.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for volere. Learn the present tense first, then the passato prossimo and the imperfect, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative (presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | voglio |
| tu | vuoi |
| lui/lei | vuole |
| noi | vogliamo |
| voi | volete |
| loro | vogliono |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io voglio un caffè ogni giorno.” — “I want a coffee”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | volli |
| tu | volesti |
| lui/lei | volle |
| noi | volemmo |
| voi | voleste |
| loro | vollero |
The passato remoto is used for completed actions in the distant past, mostly in written and literary Italian and in the south of Italy. For example: “Io volli un caffè ieri.” — “I wanted a coffee”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | volevo |
| tu | volevi |
| lui/lei | voleva |
| noi | volevamo |
| voi | volevate |
| loro | volevano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io volevo un caffè una volta.” — “I used to want a coffee”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | vorrò |
| tu | vorrai |
| lui/lei | vorrà |
| noi | vorremo |
| voi | vorrete |
| loro | vorranno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io vorrò un caffè domani.” — “I will want a coffee”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | vorrei |
| tu | vorresti |
| lui/lei | vorrebbe |
| noi | vorremmo |
| voi | vorreste |
| loro | vorrebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io vorrei un caffè un giorno.” — “I would want a coffee”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ho voluto |
| tu | hai voluto |
| lui/lei | ha voluto |
| noi | abbiamo voluto |
| voi | avete voluto |
| loro | hanno voluto |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui ha voluto un caffè questa settimana.” — “He has wanted a coffee”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avevo voluto |
| tu | avevi voluto |
| lui/lei | aveva voluto |
| noi | avevamo voluto |
| voi | avevate voluto |
| loro | avevano voluto |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io avevo voluto un caffè prima della festa.” — “I had wanted a coffee”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrò voluto |
| tu | avrai voluto |
| lui/lei | avrà voluto |
| noi | avremo voluto |
| voi | avrete voluto |
| loro | avranno voluto |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io avrò voluto un caffè per domani.” — “I will have wanted a coffee”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrei voluto |
| tu | avresti voluto |
| lui/lei | avrebbe voluto |
| noi | avremmo voluto |
| voi | avreste voluto |
| loro | avrebbero voluto |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io avrei voluto un caffè ieri.” — “I would have wanted a coffee”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | voglia |
| tu | voglia |
| lui/lei | voglia |
| noi | vogliamo |
| voi | vogliate |
| loro | vogliano |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io voglia un caffè.” — “It is important that I want a coffee”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | volessi |
| tu | volessi |
| lui/lei | volesse |
| noi | volessimo |
| voi | voleste |
| loro | volessero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io volessi un caffè.” — “It was important that I want a coffee”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | vogli |
| lui/lei | voglia |
| noi | vogliamo |
| voi | vogliate |
| loro | vogliano |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Vogli un caffè!” — “Want a coffee!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | volere |
| lui/lei | voglia |
| noi | vogliamo |
| voi | vogliate |
| loro | vogliano |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non volere un caffè.” — “Do not want a coffee.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | volendo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Volendo un caffè, imparo molto.” — “While wanting a coffee, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | volente |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle volente is used to describe something that is happening at the same time as the main action, much like an English -ing adjective.
Past participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Past participle | voluto |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io ho voluto un caffè questa settimana.” — “I have wanted a coffee.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with volere, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io voglio un caffè ogni giorno.” — “I want a coffee”
- “Tu volesti un caffè ieri.” — “You wanted a coffee”
- “Lui voleva un caffè una volta.” — “He used to want a coffee”
- “Io vorrò un caffè domani.” — “I will want a coffee”
- “Tu vorresti un caffè un giorno.” — “You would want a coffee”
- “Lui ha voluto un caffè questa settimana.” — “He has wanted a coffee”
- “Io avevo voluto un caffè prima della festa.” — “I had wanted a coffee”
- “Tu avrai voluto un caffè per domani.” — “You will have wanted a coffee”
- “È importante che io voglia un caffè.” — “It is important that I want a coffee”
- “Vogli un caffè!” — “Want a coffee!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io volere un caffè.”
✓ Right: “Io voglio un caffè ogni giorno.”
The infinitive volere never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form voglio.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io vuoi un caffè.”
✓ Right: “Io voglio un caffè ogni giorno.”
vuoi is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with voglio.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io voglio un caffè ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io ho voluto un caffè questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo ho voluto for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io sono voluto un caffè.”
✓ Right: “Io ho voluto un caffè questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of volere is formed with avere plus the past participle voluto: the io form is ho voluto. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
5. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “È importante che io voglio un caffè.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io voglia un caffè.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use voglia here, not the indicative voglio.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io ho volendo un caffè.”
✓ Right: “Io ho voluto un caffè questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle voluto, not the gerund volendo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on volere. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of volere in the Present indicative?
- A) vuoi
- B) voglio
- C) vuole
- D) vogliamo
What is the lui/lei form of volere in the Passato remoto?
- A) volli
- B) volesti
- C) volle
- D) volemmo
What is the noi form of volere in the Imperfect?
- A) volevo
- B) volevi
- C) voleva
- D) volevamo
What is the tu form of volere in the Future?
- A) vorrai
- B) vorrò
- C) vorrà
- D) vorremo
What is the io form of volere in the Conditional?
- A) vorresti
- B) vorrei
- C) vorrebbe
- D) vorremmo
What is the lui/lei form of volere in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) ho voluto
- B) hai voluto
- C) ha voluto
- D) abbiamo voluto
What is the lui/lei form of volere in the Present subjunctive?
- A) vogliamo
- B) vogliate
- C) vogliano
- D) voglia
What is the io form of volere in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) volessi
- B) volesse
- C) volessimo
- D) voleste
What is the gerund of volere?
- A) voluto
- B) volendo
- C) volere
- D) voglio
What does volere mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to want
- D) to do, to make
Answer key
- B) voglio — the correct form is voglio. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) volle — the correct form is volle. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) volevamo — the correct form is volevamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) vorrai — the correct form is vorrai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) vorrei — the correct form is vorrei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) ha voluto — the correct form is ha voluto. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) voglia — the correct form is voglia. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) volessi — the correct form is volessi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) volendo — the correct form is volendo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to want — the correct form is to want. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does volere mean in English?
volere means “to want”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is volere regular or irregular?
volere is irregular: it is irregular in present, passato-remoto, future, conditional, future-perfect, conditional-perfect, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative. The gerund is volendo and the past participle is voluto.
What are the gerund and past participle of volere?
The gerund is volendo — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is voluto — use it with avere for the perfect tenses, as in ho voluto.
Which auxiliary does volere take in the passato prossimo?
volere takes avere in the passato prossimo: the io form is ho voluto. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with avere plus the past participle voluto.
How do I say “I want” in Italian?
Say “Io voglio un caffè ogni giorno.” — “I want a coffee” The io form of the present is voglio, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of volere — every tense of volere in one place.
- Volere in the passato prossimo tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Volere examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Italian passato prossimo tense guide — the full guide to the passato prossimo tense in Italian.
- Italian irregular verbs — every common irregular Italian verb, grouped by pattern.
- Essere conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Avere conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Italian verbs — the full hub of Italian conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Verb Conjugator — practise volere with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise volere with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise volere with the interactive tool.