vorrei

Vorrei is the first-person singular present conditional form of the Italian verb volere, meaning to want. In everyday Italian, it is used to express a polite wish or a tentative request, and it often softens statements that would be blunt if stated with the present indicative voglio (I want).

Formation and forms

Volere is irregular, and its present conditional forms are vorrei, vorresti, vorrebbe, vorremmo, vorreste, vorrebbero. The conditional mood conveys politeness, hesitancy, or hypothetical intention rather than a direct demand. It is common to accompany vorrei with an object or infinitive, or with a subordinate clause introduced by che in more elaborate sentences.

Typical usage

- Polite requests: Vorrei un caffè, per favore. (I would like a coffee, please.)

- Requests for information or permission: Vorrei sapere gli orari. (I would like to know the hours.)

- Expressing personal wishes: Vorrei andare al mare. (I would like to go to the sea.)

- Subordinate clauses with desiderative meaning: Vorrei che venissi. (I would like you to come.) In such cases, the verb in the subordinate clause appears in the subjunctive.

Nuances and alternatives

Vorrei signals courtesy and is common in service encounters, negotiations, and informal conversation. It is less forceful than voglio (I want) and often preferred when asking for favors. Other ways to express a similar idea include mi piacerebbe (I would like it) or potrei (could I…).

See also

In Italian, other verb forms of volere, and related expressions of politeness, such as potrebbe, vorresti, or mi piacerebbe, are used to modulate requests and wishes in varying social contexts.