Vuole

Vuole is the third-person singular present indicative of the Italian verb volere, meaning to want. It translates as “he wants” or, when used with the formal second-person subject Lei, “you want.” The form is irregular and is part of a larger conjugation pattern that includes io voglio, tu vuoi, noi vogliamo, voi volete, loro vogliono.

Usage and meaning: Vuole expresses desire or intention and can be followed by an infinitive to indicate what is wanted to do, as in vuole mangiare (he wants to eat) or vuole bere qualcosa (he wants to drink something). It can also govern a direct object, such as vuole un caffè (he wants a coffee). The expression volere bene, literally “to want well,” means to care for someone (vuole bene ai suoi amici: he cares for his friends).

Grammatical notes: In formal address, Lei vuole is used as with other verbs, despite the capitalization of Lei in some texts. Vuole is part of a highly irregular verb class; its non-present forms use different stems, for example vorrei (I would like), volli (I wanted), vorrai (you will want), and vorrà (he will want) in various tenses.

Related phrases and idioms: The proverb volere è potere, literally “to want is to be able,” expresses that determination can enable achievement. In everyday speech, volere is common in questions and requests, such as vuoi qualcosa? (do you want something?).

See also: Conjugation patterns of volere; Italian verbs of irregular conjugation; Italian grammar resources on mood, tense, and polite forms.