Je voudrais un croissant
I’d like a croissant
Pronunciation: [ʒə vu-drɛ]
How to say “I’d like” in French
Je voudrais + noun
The most common usage of je voudrais is je voudrais + noun. You can use this when ordering items in restaurants. The structure is je voudrais + item + s’il vous plaît (please)
Je voudrais un café.
I’d like a coffee.
Here are some examples of je voudrais + article + noun when placing orders.
Je voudrais du vin blanc, s’il vous plaît.
I’d like some white wine, please.
Je voudrais la salade niçoise.
I’d like the Niçoise salade.
Je voudrais + infinitive
Je voudrais can also be followed by a verb in the infinitive form to mean “I’d like to”.
Je voudrais acheter une voiture.
I’d like to buy a car.
Je voudrais vs. je veux
In French, it’s important to distinguish between je voudrais (I’d like) and je veux (I want).
What is voudrais?
Je voudrais is the conditional (would tense) of the vouloir (to want). Hence, while je voudrais translates literally to “I would want”.
When speaking to friends and close associates, it is okay to use je veux. For example you may ask a friend, “Qu’est-ce que tu veux?” (What do you want?).
However, when speaking to strangers or in more formal situations, it would be considered impolite to say je veux. In these situations use je voudrais.
Je veux un café.
I want a coffee.
J’aimerais also means “I would like”
Another common way to say, “I would like” is j’aimerais. This is the conditional form of the verb aimer (to like, to love).
In the context of expressing what you’d like to do, j’aimerais and je voudrais are synonyms. However, in the context of requesting things (such as ordering meals), use je voudrais.
- Je voudrais partir demain. I’d like to leave tomorrow.
- J’aimerais partir demain. I’d like to leave tomorrow.
Je voudrais bien and j’aimerais bien
Two common phrases include je voudrais bien and j’aimerais bien. Both translate to “gladly” and “really like to”. They are synonymous.
For example, when asked, “Voudriez-vous dîner au restaurant français?” (Would you like to have dinner in a French restaurant?”, you may reply:
Oui, je voudrais bien.
Yes, glady.
Oui, j’aimerais bien.
Yes, gladly.
When preceding an infinitive, these expressions translate to “I’d really like to”. For example: Je voudrais bien aller au cinéma. (I’d really like to go to the movies).
Donnez-moi and donne-moi
In addition to je voudrais there are some other ways to express, “I’d like” in French.
Donnez-moi and donne-moi both translate to “give me”. These are the formal and informal forms of donner (to give) in the imperative mood.
Donnez-moi deux kilos de tomates.
Give me two kilos of tomatoes.
Related lessons
Word of the Day Archive | Lessons by David Issokson
