Désire

Désire is the present tense, third-person singular form of the French verb désirer, meaning to desire, want, or wish for something strongly. The full present conjugation is: je désire, tu désires, il/elle/on désire, nous désirons, vous désirez, ils/elles désirent. The infinitive is désirer; the past participle is désiré, and the noun form of the concept is désir.

Etymology traces désirer to Old French desir, from Latin desiderium, via desiderare. Cognate terms appear in other Romance languages, such as deseo in Spanish and desiderio in Italian. The core sense involves longing or appetite that motivates action, whether practical, emotional, or spiritual.

Usage and nuance: désirer covers a range from practical wishes to romantic or emotional longing. It is often more intense or literary than the more neutral vouloir. In everyday speech, one can say, for example, « je désire apprendre le français » or « il désire partir », with the nuance varying by context. In literature and philosophy, désir as a noun is common, emphasizing inner drive and motive; the verb form désirer tends to describe the sensation or act of longing.

Noun versus verb: désire is not standard as a noun; the usual noun for the concept is désir. The phrase « un désir » can be qualified by modifiers such as ardent, secret, ou impérieux. The verb désirer has close synonyms like vouloir and souhaiter, but carries a distinct emphasis on longing and emotional pull.

See also: désir, desiderio, deseo. In translation, désirer corresponds to the English verb desire, sharing its Latin root.