German · Everyday Verbs
"to want" in German: wollen
wollen
Note: politely: möchten
To want in German is wollen. Present forms include ich will and du willst. For polite requests, möchten often sounds softer than plain wollen.
Choosing food
Ich will heute Pasta essen.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce wollen
Say it
VOL-en
/ˈvɔln̩/
VOL-en. The w is a v sound. Short o, soft -en. Stress the first syllable.
"to want" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| wollen | to want Basic verb of desire or intention. | Basic verb of desire or intention. |
| ich will / du willst / er will | I/you/he want(s) Irregular present forms. | Irregular present forms. |
| möchten | would like Politer alternative in requests. | Politer alternative in requests. |
| Was willst du? | What do you want? Direct with du; soften in shops. | Direct with du; soften in shops. |
How to use wollen in real life
- 1Choosing food
Ich will heute Pasta essen.
I want to eat pasta today.
Will + infinitive at the end.
- 2Making plans
Willst du mit ins Kino?
Do you want to come to the cinema?
Willst du mit… is a common invite pattern.
- 3Group decision
Wir wollen früh los.
We want to leave early.
Wollen is regular in the wir form.
Mistakes English speakers make with wollen
Incorrect: Ich will eine Kaffee, bitte. (to a waiter, blunt)
Correct: Ich möchte einen Kaffee, bitte.
In service situations möchten sounds more polite than ich will.
Incorrect: Ich willst nach Hause.
Correct: Ich will nach Hause.
Ich takes will, not willst. Willst is for du.
Good to know
Ich will can sound firm or childish at a counter. Locals still use will all the time with friends. For strangers, Ich möchte or Hätten Sie… keeps the tone smoother.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Deciding on evening plans
ChatPal
Was willst du heute Abend machen?
What do you want to do this evening?
You
Ich will nur etwas Entspanntes.
I just want something relaxed.
ChatPal
Dann wollen wir einen Spaziergang machen.
Then let's go for a walk.
You
Ja. Ich will um acht zurück sein.
Yes. I want to be back by eight.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to want" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to want" in German
How do you conjugate wollen?
Ich will, du willst, er/sie/es will, wir wollen, ihr wollt, sie wollen.
When should I use möchten?
For polite requests and orders: Ich möchte bitte…
Does will mean will as in future?
No. German will means want. Future often uses werden or present tense.
How do you say I don't want to?
Ich will nicht.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
