Je voulais or j’ai voulu? Past wishes and decisions in French

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Compare je voulais and j’ai voulu through a missed conversation, a decision not to answer and a long-held wish. Includes four questions.

B1Article2 min readIn the B1 notebook →

In short

Je voulais presents a wish or intention as background; j’ai voulu presents it as an episode in your account. With an obstacle, j’ai voulu can read as “I tried”; the surrounding sentence tells you what happened.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A student waiting at an empty classroom doorway after class with a plain notebook in hand.
A missed conversation gives context to je voulais parler. Illustration: Atelier

What is the difference between je voulais and j’ai voulu?

je voulaisI wanted / was intending

Focus: the wish already in mind

voulais + infinitif

Je voulais parler à Nora après le cours.
I wanted to speak to Nora after class.

Je voulais apprendre le japonais quand j’étais étudiant.
I wanted to learn Japanese when I was a student.

j’ai vouluI wanted / decided / tried

Focus: an intention presented as part of the events

ai voulu + infinitif

J’ai voulu parler à Nora, mais elle était déjà partie.
I wanted to speak to Nora, but she had already left.

J’ai voulu aider, alors j’ai proposé de relire le texte.
I wanted to help, so I offered to reread the text.

In the first pair, voulais gives the reason for waiting after class. Ai voulu brings that intention into the sequence of events. Nora’s departure explains the missed opportunity. To report an actual attempt explicitly, use J’ai essayé de lui parler.

Après le cours
  1. Nora

    Tu m’attendais ?

    Were you waiting for me?

  2. Alex

    Oui, je voulais te poser une question.

    Yes, I wanted to ask you a question.

  3. Nora

    Vas-y, je t’écoute.

    Go ahead, I’m listening.

  4. Alex

    Hier, j’ai voulu te téléphoner, mais je n’avais pas ton numéro.

    Yesterday I wanted to phone you, but I didn’t have your number.

Unwilling, unable or deciding against it?

Three short accounts
FrenchMeaning in this account
Je ne voulais pas répondre, puis j’ai changé d’avis.I didn’t want to answer, then I changed my mind.
Je n’ai pas voulu répondre : la question était trop personnelle.I chose not to answer: the question was too personal.
Je n’ai pas pu répondre : mon téléphone était déchargé.I couldn’t answer: my phone battery was flat.

Keep one useful long-term expression too: J’ai toujours voulu apprendre le japonais means “I’ve always wanted to learn Japanese”. Here toujours gives the wish its long span. In a conversation happening now, Je voulais vous demander quelque chose is also a natural way to introduce a question you already had in mind.

Question 1No account needed
In the scene, what is Alex doing with je voulais te poser une question?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Introducing the question he wants to ask now.. The question is still relevant: Nora immediately invites Alex to ask it.

Question 2No account needed
Choose the sentence about a decision against answering.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Je n’ai pas voulu répondre.. Ne pas vouloir expresses unwillingness or a decision against the action.

Question 3No account needed
What does the Japanese sentence describe?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

A long-held wish.. Toujours voulu describes a wish held over time; learning is the desired action.

Question 4No account needed
Name an explicit attempt to speak.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

J’ai essayé de lui parler.. Essayer de directly names an attempt; vouloir names the wish or intention.

Keep going