Vouloir Conjugation in French
vouloir means “to want” in English, and it is one of the first verbs French learners meet — it sits at number 9 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for French verbs. You use it whenever you talk about wanting a coffee, and because it comes up in everyday conversation so often, learning its forms properly pays off from the very first week. This page gives you the complete conjugation of vouloir — 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: “Je veux un café tous les jours.” — “I want a coffee every day.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: vouloir
- English: to want
- Verb type: Irregular
- Irregular in: present, passe-simple, future, conditional, present-subjunctive, imperfect-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative, gerund, past-participle
- Gerund: voulant
- Past participle: voulu
- Auxiliary: avoir (all perfect tenses are formed with avoir + the past participle)
- Ending: -ir verbs; pattern ir2 in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for vouloir, 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 vouloir in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about vouloir
- It is irregular in 10 tense(s): present, passe-simple, future, conditional, present-subjunctive, imperfect-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative, gerund, past-participle. Learn those forms as a set rather than guessing them from the infinitive, because the regular pattern will not produce them.
- The perfect tenses use avoir: the present perfect is formed with avoir in the present plus the past participle voulu. 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 gerund is voulant and the participle is voulu: keep both in mind as you read the tables, because the gerund appears in progressive constructions and the 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 vouloir. Learn the present tense first, then the passé composé and the imperfect, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | veux |
| tu | veux |
| il/elle | veut |
| nous | voulons |
| vous | voulez |
| ils/elles | veulent |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. With vouloir this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Je veux partir en vacances tous les jours.” — “I want go on holiday every day.”
Passé simple
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | voulus |
| tu | voulus |
| il/elle | voulut |
| nous | voulûmes |
| vous | voulûtes |
| ils/elles | voulurent |
The passé simple is used for completed actions in the past, mostly in written and literary French. With vouloir this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Tu voulus partir en vacances hier.” — “You wanted go on holiday yesterday.”
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | voulais |
| tu | voulais |
| il/elle | voulait |
| nous | voulions |
| vous | vouliez |
| ils/elles | voulaient |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Il voulait partir en vacances autrefois.” — “He used to want go on holiday in the past.”
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | voudrai |
| tu | voudras |
| il/elle | voudra |
| nous | voudrons |
| vous | voudrez |
| ils/elles | voudront |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. With vouloir this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Je voudrai partir en vacances demain.” — “I will want go on holiday tomorrow.”
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | voudrais |
| tu | voudrais |
| il/elle | voudrait |
| nous | voudrions |
| vous | voudriez |
| ils/elles | voudraient |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. With vouloir this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Tu voudrais partir en vacances un jour.” — “You would want go on holiday one day.”
Present perfect (passé composé)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | ai voulu |
| tu | as voulu |
| il/elle | a voulu |
| nous | avons voulu |
| vous | avez voulu |
| ils/elles | ont voulu |
The present perfect (passé composé) is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken French. For example: “Il a voulu partir en vacances cette semaine.” — “He has wanted go on holiday this week.”
Pluperfect (plus-que-parfait)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | avais voulu |
| tu | avais voulu |
| il/elle | avait voulu |
| nous | avions voulu |
| vous | aviez voulu |
| ils/elles | avaient voulu |
The pluperfect (plus-que-parfait) is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “J'avais voulu partir en vacances avant la fête.” — “I had wanted go on holiday before the party.”
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | aurai voulu |
| tu | auras voulu |
| il/elle | aura voulu |
| nous | aurons voulu |
| vous | aurez voulu |
| ils/elles | auront voulu |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Tu auras voulu partir en vacances pour demain.” — “You will have wanted go on holiday by tomorrow.”
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | aurais voulu |
| tu | aurais voulu |
| il/elle | aurait voulu |
| nous | aurions voulu |
| vous | auriez voulu |
| ils/elles | auraient voulu |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Il aurait voulu partir en vacances hier.” — “He would have wanted go on holiday yesterday.”
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | veuille |
| tu | veuilles |
| il/elle | veuille |
| nous | voulions |
| vous | vouliez |
| ils/elles | veuillent |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. With vouloir this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Il est important que je veuille partir en vacances.” — “It is important that I want go on holiday.”
Imperfect subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| je | voulusse |
| tu | voulusses |
| il/elle | voulût |
| nous | voulussions |
| vous | voulussiez |
| ils/elles | voulussent |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in formal written French for past wishes and hypotheticals after que. With vouloir this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Il est important que tu voulusses partir en vacances.” — “It is important that you want go on holiday.”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | veuille |
| nous | voulons |
| vous | veuillez |
The imperative (affirmative) is used for direct commands and instructions. With vouloir this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Veuille partir en vacances !” — “Want go on holiday!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | veuille |
| nous | voulons |
| vous | veuillez |
The imperative (negative) is used for prohibitions and negative commands. With vouloir this tense is irregular, so the forms do not follow the regular pattern — learn them as a set rather than guessing from the infinitive. For example: “Ne veuille pas partir en vacances.” — “Do not want go on holiday.”
Gerund
| Form | French |
|---|---|
| Gerund | en voulant |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, usually after en. For example: “En voulant un café, je passe un bon moment.” — “While wanting a coffee, I have a good time.”
Past participle
| Form | French |
|---|---|
| Past participle | voulu |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “J'ai voulu un café cette semaine.” — “I have wanted a coffee this week.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with vouloir, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the French and try to produce it from the English.
- “Je veux un café tous les jours.” — “I want a coffee every day.”
- “Tu voulus partir en vacances hier.” — “You wanted go on holiday yesterday.”
- “Il voulait apprendre le français autrefois.” — “He used to want learn French in the past.”
- “Je voudrai un café demain.” — “I will want a coffee tomorrow.”
- “Tu voudrais partir en vacances un jour.” — “You would want go on holiday one day.”
- “Il a voulu apprendre le français cette semaine.” — “He has wanted learn French this week.”
- “J'avais voulu un café avant la fête.” — “I had wanted a coffee before the party.”
- “Tu auras voulu partir en vacances pour demain.” — “You will have wanted go on holiday by tomorrow.”
- “Il est important que il veuille apprendre le français.” — “It is important that he want learn French.”
- “Veuille un café !” — “Want a coffee!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Je vouloir un café.”
✓ Right: “Je veux un café.”
The infinitive vouloir never takes a subject. After je you need the conjugated present form veux.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Je veulent un café.”
✓ Right: “Je veux un café.”
veulent is the ils/elles form, not the je form. Match the verb to the subject every time: je goes with veux.
3. Using the passé simple for a present habit
✗ Wrong: “Je voulus un café tous les jours.”
✓ Right: “Je veux un café tous les jours.”
The passé simple voulus describes one finished past action. For something that happens every day, use the present veux.
4. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “Il est important que je veux un café.”
✓ Right: “Il est important que je veuille un café.”
After il est important que French needs the subjunctive, so use veuille here, not the indicative veux.
5. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passé composé
✗ Wrong: “Je suis voulu un café.”
✓ Right: “Je ai voulu un café.”
The passé composé of vouloir is formed with avoir plus the past participle voulu: the je form is ai voulu. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
6. Dropping a written accent
✗ Wrong: “veux” written without its accent
✓ Right: “veux”
Accents are part of the spelling in French. Write the form exactly as it appears in the table, accent included, or it looks like a different word.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on vouloir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the je form of vouloir in the Present indicative?
- A) veux
- B) veut
- C) voulons
- D) voulez
What is the il/elle form of vouloir in the Passé simple?
- A) voulûtes
- B) voulut
- C) voulus
- D) voulûmes
What is the nous form of vouloir in the Imperfect?
- A) vouliez
- B) voulions
- C) voulais
- D) voulait
What is the tu form of vouloir in the Future?
- A) voudras
- B) voudrai
- C) voudra
- D) voudrons
What is the je form of vouloir in the Conditional?
- A) voudrait
- B) voudrions
- C) voudriez
- D) voudrais
What is the il/elle form of vouloir in the Present perfect (passé composé)?
- A) a voulu
- B) ai voulu
- C) as voulu
- D) avons voulu
What is the il/elle form of vouloir in the Present subjunctive?
- A) voulions
- B) vouliez
- C) veuille
- D) veuilles
What is the je form of vouloir in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) voulût
- B) voulussions
- C) voulusse
- D) voulusses
What is the gerund of vouloir?
- A) en voulant
- B) en sachant
- C) en venant
- D) en voyant
What does vouloir mean in English?
- A) to know
- B) to come
- C) to see
- D) to want
Answer key
- A) veux — the je form of vouloir in the Present indicative is veux. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) voulut — the il/elle form of vouloir in the Passé simple is voulut. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) voulions — the nous form of vouloir in the Imperfect is voulions. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) voudras — the tu form of vouloir in the Future is voudras. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) voudrais — the je form of vouloir in the Conditional is voudrais. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) a voulu — the il/elle form of vouloir in the Present perfect (passé composé) is a voulu. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) veuille — the il/elle form of vouloir in the Present subjunctive is veuille. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) voulusse — the je form of vouloir in the Imperfect subjunctive is voulusse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) en voulant — the gerund of vouloir is en voulant; it is used after en for actions happening at the same time as another action. The other options are the gerunds of neighbouring verbs.
- D) to want — vouloir means “to want” in English. The other options are the meanings of neighbouring verbs.
Frequently asked questions
What does vouloir mean in English?
vouloir means “to want”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is vouloir regular or irregular?
vouloir is irregular, and it is irregular in these tenses: present, passe-simple, future, conditional, present-subjunctive, imperfect-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative, gerund, past-participle. The gerund is voulant and the past participle is voulu.
What are the gerund and past participle of vouloir?
The gerund is voulant — use it after en for an action happening at the same time as another action. The past participle is voulu — use it with avoir for the perfect tenses, as in ai voulu.
Which auxiliary does vouloir take in the passé composé?
vouloir takes avoir in the passé composé: the je form is ai voulu. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with avoir plus the past participle voulu.
How do I say “I want” in French?
Say “Je veux un café tous les jours.” — “I want a coffee every day.” The je form of the present is veux, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of vouloir — every tense of vouloir in one place.
- Vouloir in the passé composé tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Vouloir examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Savoir conjugation — another everyday French verb.
- Venir conjugation — another everyday French verb.
- Voir conjugation — another everyday French verb.
- French irregular verbs — every common irregular French verb, grouped by pattern.
- French verbs — the full hub of French conjugation pages.
- Spanish verbs — the full hub of Spanish conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — practise vouloir with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise vouloir with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise vouloir with the interactive tool.