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
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
Rebekah
Kwiziq community member
4 January 2018
3 replies
Is it correct to say "Voudrez-vous une tasse de thé?"
Chris
Kwiziq community member
4 January 2018
4/01/18
-- Chris (not a native speaker)
Rebekah
Kwiziq community member
5 January 2018
5/01/18
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
6 February 2018
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!