wollen
to want (something) · to want to (do something) · to claim (to have done something)
Wollen means 'to want' and expresses a desire or intention. It is a modal verb, so it is often used with a second verb in the infinitive, but it can also stand alone with a direct object. Germans use it in everyday speech to state what they want to do or have.
What wollen means
- to want (something) — Expressing a desire for a thing or person.
- to want to (do something) — Expressing an intention or wish to perform an action, used with an infinitive.
- to claim (to have done something) — Used to report someone's assertion, often with skepticism, e.g., 'Er will es gesehen haben' (He claims to have seen it).
Heard in real German videos
Lines where wollen was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Aber ich will dieses Mal gewinnen.But I want to win this time.
- Aber ich will nicht.But I don't want to.
- Ich will diese Pizza.I want that pizza.
Example sentences
- Ich will ein Eis.I want an ice cream.
- Wir wollen morgen ins Kino gehen.We want to go to the cinema tomorrow.
- Willst du etwas trinken?Do you want something to drink?
- Er will den Film schon gesehen haben.He claims to have already seen the film.
Grammar
| Present (ich/du/er) | will / willst / will |
|---|---|
| Simple past | wollte |
| Perfect | haben + gewollt |
| Separable | no |
| Case | accusative for direct object |
As a modal verb, wollen is used with an infinitive without 'zu'. The perfect tense uses 'haben' and the double infinitive construction when used with another verb: 'Ich habe gehen wollen'.
Common phrases
- wollen wir?shall we? (used to make a suggestion)
- wenn du willstif you want
- ich will nach HauseI want to go home
- das will ich hoffenI should hope so
The mistake English speakers make
English speakers often confuse 'wollen' with 'werden' (will) because 'will' in English is a future auxiliary. In German, 'wollen' expresses desire, not future. To express future, use 'werden'.
Don’t confuse it with
Questions learners ask
How do you conjugate 'wollen' in the present tense?
ich will, du willst, er/sie/es will, wir wollen, ihr wollt, sie/Sie wollen.
What is the difference between 'wollen' and 'möchten'?
Wollen is more direct and expresses a strong desire, while möchten is more polite and often used for requests. Möchten is actually the subjunctive form of mögen.
Does 'wollen' require 'zu' with a following infinitive?
No, as a modal verb, wollen is used with a bare infinitive without 'zu': 'Ich will gehen' (I want to go).