Why are there 9 different types of past tense? NINE?! 🤯 Will even a native speaker really use all those? I give up lol
Vouloir (to want) is an irregular French verb.
Vouloir can also be used with a verb in the infinitive, to mean "to want to do something."
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Lessons with more detail on Vouloir (to want)
- Conjugate vouloir in the present tense in French (Le Présent)
- Conjugate vouloir in the future tense in French (Le Futur Simple)
- Conjugate vouloir in the imperative mood in French (L'Impératif)
- Conjugate vouloir in the subjunctive present in French (Le Subjonctif Présent)
- Conjugate vouloir/pouvoir/devoir in the future perfect in French (Le Futur Antérieur)
- Vouloir que + the subjunctive mood (Le Subjonctif) = To want someone to do something in French
- Idiomatic expressions with vouloir
Q&A Forum 1 question, 2 answers
Bonjour Katherine,
Nine past tenses might sound like a linguistic rollercoaster, but "ne jetez pas l'éponge tout de suite" ! Think of it this way: it's like having a toolbox full of fancy gadgets. Sure, you might not use every single one every day, but isn't it nice to have options? Even English native speakers might not consciously think, "Ah yes, this is a perfect opportunity for me to employ the English past perfect continuous tense!" But they'll use them naturally without breaking a sweat. It's like riding a bike – once you've got it, you've got it!
So, take a deep breath and tackle these tenses one at a time (because, yes, it does take time and regular work). However, before you know it, you'll be impressing everyone with your French linguistic skills!
I hope this is helpful.
Bonne journée et bonne année 2025 !
Jim J. Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonjour Katherine,
You are on a mission to learn the French language and grammar.
You can choose to what extent you want to carry out this mission -- do you want a superficial understanding or a comprehensive understanding?
Entirely up to you, but a comprehensive understanding is just that  -->  ComprehensiveÂ
Bonne continuation
Jim
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