Common mistakes
Je voudrais or je veux? Four request mistakes to fix
Use je voudrais at a café, keep the final s, and follow it with a noun or infinitive. Compare je veux, order from picture cards and try four questions.
- A2
- 4 corrections
- Examples and fixes
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In short
Use je voudrais (“I would like”) to soften a request at a counter or with someone you address as vous. Je veux means “I want” and states a wish directly. Follow either verb with a noun or an infinitive: un café or réserver.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
- je veuxa soft opening for an orderI want · a direct wish
Je veux apprendre le français.I want to learn French.
For a café order, start with Bonjour, je voudrais… Use je veux when you mean to state your wish or determination directly.
- je voudraisI will wantI would like · conditional
Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît.I would like a coffee, please.
Keep the final -s. Je voudrai, with no -s, is the future: “I will want”.
- je voudrais réserverje voudrais de réserverI would like to book
Je voudrais réserver une table pour deux personnes.I would like to book a table for two people.
Vouloir takes an infinitive directly. Keep réserver in the infinitive after the conjugated verb.
- nous voudrionsnous voudraiswe would like
Nous voudrions une table près de la fenêtre.We would like a table near the window.
The subject changes the ending: je voudrais, nous voudrions, vous voudriez.
What is the difference between je voudrais and je veux?
- Serveuse
Bonjour ! Qu’est-ce que je vous sers ?
Hello! What can I get you?
- Client
Bonjour, je voudrais un café et un croissant, s’il vous plaît.
Hello, I’d like a coffee and a croissant, please.
- Serveuse
Avec du sucre ?
With sugar?
- Client
Non merci. Et une carafe d’eau, s’il vous plaît.
No, thank you. And a jug of water, please.
- Serveuse
Autre chose ?
Anything else?
- Client
Non merci, c’est tout.
No, thank you, that’s all.
Choose what you would like
Find:
The greeting opens the exchange; voudrais makes the request gentle; s’il vous plaît adds “please”. The server can then ask a short follow-up. For an action, keep the same frame and add an infinitive: Je voudrais parler à la responsable.