möchtest

Möchtest is the second-person singular present tense form of the German verb möchten, used to express wishes or polite requests. Although it comes from mögen, möchten is treated as a modal verb and is used with another verb in the infinitive to indicate what someone would like to do. In everyday speech, it often functions as the equivalent of would like in English.

Conjugation in the present tense: ich möchte; du möchtest; er/sie/es möchte; wir möchten; ihr möchtet; sie/Sie möchten.

Usage notes and examples: mögen is the broader verb meaning “to like,” while möchten expresses a refined wish or polite desire. It is commonly used with informal du and formal Sie: Möchtest du etwas trinken? Would you like something to drink? Möchten Sie etwas trinken? The verb is followed by an infinitive: Ich möchte heute Abend Pizza essen. Ich möchte gern Kaffee trinken. The particle gern (gern/gut) can be added to soften the statement: Ich möchte gern einen Kaffee.

Negation and alternatives: to negate, use nicht or kein in the appropriate place: Ich möchte nicht gehen. For polite or hypothetical phrasing, speakers may use würd e gerne (I would like) or the conditional construction Ich würde gerne.

Etymology and register: möchten is the Konjunktiv II form of mögen and is widely used in present-tense contexts to express wishes. It is common in everyday conversation and is preferred over direct forms like will for politeness. Related concepts include mögen (to like) and würden gerne as an alternative to express wishes or hypothetical desires.