Home

voulaient

Voulaient is the imperfect indicative form of the French verb vouloir (to want) in the third-person plural: ils voulaient or elles voulaient. It translates to “they wanted” or “they used to want.” The imparfait is used to describe past situations that were ongoing, habitual, or serve as background in a narrative.

Formation and details: In the imperfect, the verb stem is voul- and it takes the standard imparfait

Usage: Voulaient expresses past desires that were not necessarily completed actions. It often describes states of

Etymology: Vouloir derives from Latin velle meaning to wish or to will, with the form voulaient reflecting

See also: Conjugation patterns for irregular verbs in the imparfait; the related present tense forms of vouloir;

endings:
-ais,
-ais,
-ait,
-ions,
-iez,
-aient.
Therefore,
ils
voulaient
forms
the
plural
with
the
ending
-aient.
Vouloir
is
irregular
in
other
tenses
and
moods,
but
in
the
imparfait
the
pattern
follows
the
regular
endings
with
the
voul-
stem.
mind,
preferences,
or
intentions
in
a
continuing
past
context.
It
contrasts
with
the
passé
composé
form
ont
voulu,
which
indicates
a
completed
act
of
wanting
or
attempting.
Example:
Ils
voulaient
partir
tôt.
Another:
Lorsqu’ils
étaient
jeunes,
ils
voulaient
devenir
astronautes.
regular
French
imperfect
conjugation
on
the
irregular
verb
root.
Related
forms
include
veux,
veux,
veut
in
the
present
tense,
and
voulant
as
the
present
participle.
the
difference
between
imperfect
and
passé
composé
in
French
narrative.