Voulant

Voulant is the present participle of the French verb vouloir, meaning to want or to wish. It expresses a state of willingness or intention and is used in two main ways: as a participial adjective and in the en- construction to indicate simultaneous action or purpose.

Etymology: Vouloir derives from French, with roots in Latin volēre (to wish). The present participle voulant is the standard form in modern French for “wanting” or “wishing.”

Usage: As an adjective, voulant can describe a person or action characterized by desire or intent, for example, un homme voulant aider les autres means “a man willing to help others.” In the en- construction, en voulant + infinitive conveys doing something with that intention, as in en voulant gagner du temps, meaning “in trying to save time” or “while trying to save time.” The form is more common in literary or formal contexts; in everyday speech, speakers may prefer other expressions such as désirant or phrases like qui veut bien.

See also: vouloir; volition; etymology of will.