You may already know this: in France, politeness is something truly important. Always saying "merci" , "s'il vous plaît", "bonjour" , "passez une bonne journée"... French people can get offended very quickly if you do not observe the proper etiquette, whether in a shop, a restaurant, a cafe, or at work.
One of the most common mistakes among French learners is using the verb "vouloir" in the present tense when addressing someone. Here is why it is a trap and how to avoid it.
The problem with "je veux"
When you learn French, you naturally start with the present tense conjugation: "je veux, tu veux, il veut...". It makes sense - it is the tense you use the most. But with the verb "vouloir", using the present tense when speaking to someone gives the impression that you are giving an order. "Je veux un coca" sounds aggressive to a French person's ears.
The solution: "je voudrais"
"Je voudrais" ("I would like") is the conditional form of the verb "vouloir". It is a much softer way of expressing what you want. It gives the impression that it is a wish, not a demand. The person you are speaking to feels as though they have a choice.
And generally speaking, when you ask someone for something politely, there is a much better chance they will be kind in return.
Practical examples
Here are a few everyday situations:
- At a cafe: do not say "je veux un coca" but rather "je voudrais un coca"
- In a shoe store: "je voudrais essayer ce modèle en taille 40"
- In a meeting or during a guided tour: "je voudrais poser une question"
- On the street: "excusez-moi , je voudrais passer"
- At a restaurant, in a group: "on voudrait une table pour six pour dîner"
"On" rather than "nous" in spoken French
You may have noticed the last example: "on voudrait" instead of "nous voudrions". In spoken French, people use "on" far more often than "nous" when referring to a group. "Nous voudrions" is grammatically correct but very formal. In practice, you will hear "on voudrait une table pour six pour dîner" much more often.
"On" followed by the third person singular conjugation replaces "nous" in the vast majority of everyday conversations.
NB: this politeness rule also applies to other phrasings. Prefer "j'aimerais" ("I would love to") over "je veux", and "pourriez-vous" ("could you") over "pouvez-vous" for a polite request.
