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Wanting French Phrases
The French verb vouloir, “to want,” is found in many essential and idiomatic expressions, including to be determined to, to mean, and inadvertently. Learn these and dozens of other French expressions featuring vouloir.
Vouloir translations
- to want
- to claim, assert
- to expect
- to need, require
In different tenses and moods, as well as in certain negations, vouloir has additional meanings – learn more.
Proverbs with vouloir
| C’est vouloir prendre des lièvres au son du tambour. | Drumming is not the way to catch a hare. | |
| Quand on veut, on peut. | Where there’s a will, there’s a way. | |
| Vouloir, c’est pouvoir. | Where there’s a will, there’s a way. | |
| Vouloir le beurre et l’argent du beurre. | To want to have one’s cake and eat it, too. |
Expressions with vouloir
| vouloir à boire | to want something to drink | ||
| vouloir à manger | to want something to eat | ||
| vouloir absolument | to be dead set on, determined to | ||
| vouloir bien | to really want to | ||
| vouloir dire | to mean | ||
| vouloir du bien à quelqu’un | to wish someone well | ||
| vouloir du mal à quelqu’un | to wish someone ill / harm | ||
| vouloir faire quelque chose | to want to do something | ||
| vouloir que quelqu’un fasse quelque chose | to want someone to do something | ||
| vouloir que quelque chose se fasse | to want something to be done | ||
| vouloir quelque chose de quelqu’un | to want something from someone | ||
| vouloir sans vouloir | to only half want | ||
| en vouloir | (informal) | to want, be raring to go | |
| en vouloir à quelque chose | (informal) | to be after something | |
| en vouloir à quelqu’un | (informal) | to be mad at someone, hold a grudge against someone | |
| ne pas vouloir blesser quelqu’un | to not mean to hurt someone | ||
| ne pas vouloir qu’on se croie obligé(e)(s) | to not want someone to feel obliged | ||
| sans le vouloir | unintentionally, inadvertently | ||
| sans vouloir te / vous vexer | no offense | ||
| Ça va comme tu veux ? | (informal) | Is everything OK? | |
| comme le veut la loi | according to the law, as the law requires | ||
| comme le veut la tradition | according to tradition | ||
| Comme tu veux / vous voulez | As you like / wish, Have it your way, Suit yourself | ||
| Comment voulez-vous que je sache ? | How should I know?, How do you expect me to know? | ||
| Comment veux-tu / voulez-vous que + subjunctive ? | How do you expect (something to happen)? | ||
| faire de quelqu’un ce qu’on veut | to do what one likes with someone, to twist someone around his/her little finger | ||
| le feu n’a pas voulu prendre | the fire wouldn’t light / catch | ||
| le hasard voulut que | as luck would have it | ||
| … en veux-tu en voilà | (informal) | tons of … | |
| Il y a des problèmes en veux-tu en voilà . | (informal) | There are tons of problems. | |
| J’aurais voulu que vous voyiez sa tête ! | I wish you could have seen his face! | ||
| J’aurais voulu t’y voir ! | I’d like to see what you’d have done! | ||
| Je ne voudrais pas abuser | I don’t want to impose | ||
| Je veux ! | (familiar) | You bet! I’d love to! | |
| Je veux bien | Yes, please | ||
| Je veux bien le croire mais … | I’d like to believe him but … | ||
| Je voudrais que vous voyiez sa tête ! | I wish you could see his face! | ||
| Je voulais te / vous dire… | I wanted / meant to tell you… | ||
| Je voudrais bien voir ça ! | I’d like to see that! | ||
| Je voudrais t’y voir ! | I’d like to see you try! | ||
| Le malheur a voulu qu’il + subjunctive | He had the misfortune to… | ||
| Moi je veux bien, mais… | Fair enough, but … | ||
| Qu’est-ce que tu veux / vous voulez ? | What can you do?, What do you expect? | ||
| Que veux-tu / voulez-vous ? | What can you do?, What do you expect? | ||
| Que voulez-vous qu’on y fasse ? | What do you expect us to do about it? | ||
| Qu’est-ce que tu veux que je te dise ? | What can I say? what do you want me to say? | ||
| Que lui voulez-vous ? | What do you want with him? | ||
| Qu’est-ce qu’il me veut, celui-là ? | (informal) | What does he want from me? | |
| qu’il le veuille ou non | whether he likes it or not | ||
| savoir ce qu’on veut | to know what one wants | ||
| Si tu veux | If you like / want, If you will | ||
| Si tu voulais bien le faire | If you’d be kind enough to do it | ||
| Si vous le voulez bien | If you don’t mind | ||
| Si vous voulez bien me suivre | This way, please | ||
| Tu l’as voulu ! | You asked for it! | ||
| Tu l’auras voulu ! | It’ll be your own fault! You’ll have brought it on yourself! | ||
| Tu veux bien lui dire que … | Would you please tell him that … | ||
| L’usage veut que … | Custom requires that … | ||
| Veux-tu (bien) + infinitive ! | Will you (please) …! | ||
| Veux-tu que je te dise / raconte pourquoi ? | Shall I tell you why? | ||
| Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir ? | Do you want to sleep with me tonight? | ||
| en vouloir à quelqu’un | (informal) | to be mad at someone | |
| Ils en voulaient à sa vie. | They wanted him dead. | ||
| Je ne t’en veux pas. | (informal) | I’m not mad at you, No hard feelings. | |
| Ne m’en veux pas | (informal) | Don’t be mad at me, Don’t hold it against me. | |
| Tu m’en veux ? | (informal) | Are you mad at me? | |
| Tu ne m’en veux pas ? | You’re not mad at me?, No hard feelings? | ||
| se vouloir | to claim to be, to be supposed to be | ||
| s’en vouloir de + infinitive | to be annoyed with oneself for | ||
| Je m’en voudrais ! | Not on your life! | ||
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