English–German

“want” in German

German

Alsowünschen · begehren

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈvɔlən/

Example

Ich will heute ins Kino gehen.

I want to go to the movies today.

Illustration for wollen (want)

How to say “want” in German

“Want” in German is wollen.

A firm wish or intention stands behind the next action.

Full entry for wollen: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with wollen

Was wollen wir jetzt lernen?

What do we want to learn now?

Tips for using wollen

  • Ich will... can sound firm or demanding, while ich möchte... or ich würde gern... often expresses a more polite wish.

Other German words for “want”

Sie wünscht sich ein neues Fahrrad.

She wants a new bicycle.

Ich begehre nichts.

I don't want anything.

“want” in other languages