Look at these examples:
Je veux une glace!
I want an ice cream!
Je voudrais un coca, s'il te plaît.
I would like a coke, please.
Note that to ask for something in French, you could use two forms of the verb vouloir:
je veux (I want) or je voudrais (I would want/like)
Je voudrais is preferable in social contexts such as in a restaurant, as it is more polite and subtle than the blunt je veux (just like in English).
[Note that j'aimerais (I would like) is also very commonly used in more polite contexts.]
Grammar point: Je veux is in Le Présent tense (I want), whereas je voudrais is in Le Conditionnel (I would want/like).
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Q&A
Chris
Kwiziq community member
4/01/18
-- Chris (not a native speaker)
Rebekah
Kwiziq community member
5/01/18
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
6/02/18
Although grammatically correct, Vous voudrez une tasse de thé ? will relate to an event in the future, meaning something like, Will you be wanting a cup a tea?
For, Do you want a cup of tea? you will say, Vous voulez une tasse de thé ? (or voulez-vous une...) more than the polite form Voudriez-vous une tasse de thé ? which sounds stilted. But in shops or in the case of any dealings with strangers you will use "je voudrais", not "je veux" which sounds rude in French!
Ron
Kwiziq community member
23/07/17
Kyaw
Kwiziq community member
23/07/17
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
9/12/16
Yes, it can mean either "I would like some flowers." or "I would like flowers."
À bientôt !
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
11/10/16
Yes, I listened to the sentence, and the pronunciation is correct.
À bientôt !
Kev
Kwiziq community member
6/11/16
Suzan
Kwiziq community member
26/11/16
John
Kwiziq community member
15 June 2018
1 reply
Je voudrais v j'aimerais
What is the difference in usage between je voudrais and j'aimerais? I have heard elsewhere that j'aimerais is appropriate when asking for something that you might not get or are unlikely to get. Is that correct?
Chris
Kwiziq community member
18 June 2018
18/06/18
Hi John,
J'aimerais is simply "I would like...". The emphasis is not so much on getting something but more on liking it.
Je voudrais emphasises that you would like to obtain something, not just liking it.
-- Chris (not a native speaker).