Level A1-A2 (Beginner)
Updated December 15, 2025 — Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online, with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a voice artist from France.
✅ Meaning
✅ Pronunciation
✅ Example sentences
✅ Related Words & Expressions
✅ Related lessons
📘 Je voudrais meaning
Je voudrais is the polite way to say “I’d like” in French. It’s the conditional form of vouloir (to want) and is commonly used for making requests or ordering in restaurants. (See examples below.)
🎧 Je voudrais pronunciation
The pronunciation of je voudrais is /ʒə vu.dʁɛ/ in IPA, which sounds like “zhuh voo-DREH.”
📝 French and English Examples
Je voudrais + noun
The most common way to use je voudrais is with a noun — perfect for ordering in restaurants. The structure is: je voudrais + item + s’il vous plaît (please).
Je voudrais un café.
I’d like a coffee.
Je voudrais un croissant.
I’d like a croissant.
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.
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Je voudrais vs. je veux
French learners should be careful — je voudrais (I’d like) and je veux (I want) may seem similar, but they send very different messages.
What is voudrais?
Je voudrais is the conditional form (“would” tense) of vouloir (to want). Literally, it means “I would want.”
When speaking with friends or close acquaintances, it’s fine to use je veux. For example, you might ask a friend: Qu’est-ce que tu veux ? (What do you want?).
However, in formal situations or when addressing strangers, je veux can come across as impolite. In these cases, choose je voudrais instead.
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, the conditional form of aimer (to like, to love).
When talking about what you’d like to do, j’aimerais and je voudrais are interchangeable. But when requesting something — for example, ordering food — use je voudrais.
- Je voudrais partir demain. → I would like to leave tomorrow.
- J’aimerais partir demain. → I would like to leave tomorrow.
Je voudrais bien and j’aimerais bien
Two common expressions are je voudrais bien and j’aimerais bien. Both can mean “gladly” or “I’d really like to,” and in casual conversation they’re often interchangeable.
The difference is subtle: je voudrais bien tends to feel more immediate, while j’aimerais bien can also express a longer-term wish.
For example, if someone asks, Voudriez-vous dîner au restaurant français ? (Would you like to have dinner in a French restaurant?), you might reply:
Oui, je voudrais bien.
I’d like to.
Oui, j’aimerais bien.
I’d really like to.
When followed by an infinitive, these expressions mean “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
Besides je voudrais, there are other ways to say “I’d like” in French. Donnez-moi and donne-moi both mean “give me” — the formal and informal imperative forms of donner (to give), respectively.
Donnez-moi deux kilos de tomates.
Give me two kilos of tomatoes.
👉 See also: Donner (to give) — meaning, pronunciation, examples »
💬 Related words & expressions
- Puis-je avoir… ? – May I have…? (formal)
- Pourrais-je… ? – Could I…? (very polite)
- Est-ce que je peux… ? – Can I…?
- Je souhaite… – I wish to / I hope to
- Je désire… – I desire / I would like (formal, less common in speech)
- Commander – To order (e.g., in a restaurant)
📚 Related French Lessons
👉 Vouloir — meaning, pronunciation, examples »
👉 Vouloir conjugation chart (with native audio) »
👉 French conditional tense »
👉 Ordering meals in restaurants »
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Je voudaris — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between je voudrais and je veux?
Je voudrais means “I would like” and is the highly polite, conditional form of the verb. Je veux means “I want” and is the direct, present tense form, which can be considered impolite when speaking to strangers or service staff.
Is je voudrais always the polite choice?
Yes. It is the safest and most commonly used expression for making a polite request in French, especially in formal settings or when ordering in restaurants.
Can I use j’aimerais instead of je voudrais?
Yes, both mean “I would like” and are highly polite. J’aimerais (I would love) is interchangeable with je voudrais when expressing a wish or desire.
What is je voudrais?
Je voudrais is the highly polite French expression meaning “I would like” or “I’d like.”
Is je voudrais the conditional tense?
Yes, je voudrais is the first-person singular form of the verb vouloir (to want) conjugated in the Conditional Present Tense (le conditionnel présent).
