vouloir

to want

verb voo-LWAR Common

Usage Note

Vouloir softens into a polite request in the conditional je voudrais, the form you use to order in a café. The set phrase en vouloir à quelqu'un means to hold a grudge, while vouloir dire is simply how French says 'to mean'.

Examples

"Je veux un café."

Natural Translation

I want a coffee.

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