French course

Lesson 21 of 240

New here? This is lesson 21 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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I want in French

Sam is a café regular now. Gaspard asks what he wants before Sam has even looked at the chalkboard. Sam answers with a blunt I want.

Odile writes the order as if he had been polite.

By the end, you'll say what you want, what you don't want, and what you need.

You'll also hear the softer I'd like that, plus two ways to ask a friend what they want.

By the end of this lesson

Say what you want and what you need.

  • Je veux ___.I want ___
  • Je ne veux pas ça.I don't want that
  • J'ai besoin de ___.I need ___
  • Je voudrais ça.I'd like that
  • Qu'est-ce que tu veux ?What do you want?
  • Tu veux ça ?Do you want this?

Scene — before he looks up

Same café on rue des Tilleuls. Sam comes most mornings now, and Odile treats him as a regular. He has not looked at the chalkboard yet.

Gaspard watches from the next table again, café crème untouched. They have sat together more than once. The window table still has its blank brass sign.

A wide café interior with Sam turned away from the wall, Odile waiting at the zinc, and Gaspard watching from the next table with an untouched café crème.

Learn — want and need

Six short lines cover I want, I don't want that, I need, and a polite I'd like that.

You'll also ask a friend what they want, in two ways.

  1. From a low angle, Sam stands at the zinc with open hands toward the pastry case in a wanting pose, still not looking toward the wall.

    Je veux ___.

    I want ___

    When to use it: Say this to name what you want, even if it sounds a bit blunt.

    Learn it as one piece and fill the blank with the thing.

    Say it: The x in veux is silent.

  2. Close-up of Sam turning a small plate aside with an open palm, refusing the tartine Odile has set down.

    Je ne veux pas ça.

    I don't want that

    When to use it: Say this when someone offers a thing you do not want.

    Learn it as one piece to turn something down.

  3. From high above, Sam leans on the zinc with a hand at his chest, reaching as if he needs something from Odile.

    J'ai besoin de ___.

    I need ___

    When to use it: Say this when you need a thing, not just want it.

    Learn it as one piece and fill the blank with the thing.

    Say it: The e in je drops, so you say j'ai.

  4. Profile of Sam bent toward the pastry-case glass, pointing at one croissant with a polite hopeful gesture.

    Je voudrais ça.

    I'd like that

    When to use it: Say this at a counter when you want to sound polite.

    Learn it as one piece for a softer order.

    Say it: The last s in voudrais is silent.

  5. Over Sam's shoulder, Gaspard twists across a pair of chairs toward him with a questioning lean, café crème untouched.

    Qu'est-ce que tu veux ?

    What do you want?

    When to use it: Ask a friend or a regular this after hello.

    Learn it as one piece when you ask a friend.

    Say it: The t in est is silent before ce.

  6. Medium two-shot of Odile behind the zinc holding out a small plate toward Sam, offering it as a question.

    Tu veux ça ?

    Do you want this?

    When to use it: Ask this when you point at one thing for a friend.

    Learn it as one piece while you point.

Story — she writes it down

Watch Gaspard ask before Sam has even looked up. Gaspard and Odile use tu with him now. Odile takes the blunt order as a polite one.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. The lamps are on. Odile looks up from the zinc counter, as she does most mornings now.
  2. OdileBonjour.Hello.
  3. SamBonjour.Hello.
  4. Sam has not looked at the chalkboard. Gaspard leans in from the next table.
  5. GaspardQu'est-ce que tu veux ?What do you want?
  6. SamJe veux un croissant.I want a croissant.
  7. Odile points at a tartine on the board.
  8. OdileTu veux ça ?Do you want this?
  9. SamJe ne veux pas ça.I don't want that.
  10. She points at the croissant.
  11. OdileTu veux ça ?Do you want this?
  12. SamJe voudrais ça.I'd like that.
  13. She writes it down as if he had been polite from the start.
  14. Sugar sits by Gaspard's unfinished café crème.
  15. SamJ'ai besoin de ça.I need that.
  16. SamMerci.Thank you.

Practice — blunt or polite

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, fill a gap, swap a word, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    French

    Je veux ___.Drop the English here
    J'ai besoin de ___.Drop the English here
    Je voudrais ça.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its French, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    Odile points at the croissant you came for. Keep the order polite.

  4. Fill the gap

    I don't want that

    Je ____ veux pas ça.

  5. What does it mean?

    Qu'est-ce que tu veux ?

  6. Swap the word

    Odile points at the croissant. You want it, and you keep it polite.

    Je ____ ça.

  7. Pick the reply

    Gaspard says:

    Qu'est-ce que tu veux ?

    What do you want?

    And you reply with:

  8. Build the line

    I don't want that

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  9. What do you say?

    The sugar is out of reach. You need it.

  10. True or false?

    This means you're welcome.

  11. What do you say?

    You walk into Café des Tilleuls. Odile looks at you and waits.

Say it — name what you want

Now you're Sam, a regular at the counter. Gaspard will ask what you want. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. GaspardQu'est-ce que tu veux ?What do you want?
  2. Sam (you)Point at a croissant and say you want it.

    Je veux ___.

    I want ___

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Je veux ___.I want ___
Je ne veux pas ça.I don't want that
J'ai besoin de ___.I need ___
Je voudrais ça.I'd like that
Qu'est-ce que tu veux ?What do you want?
Tu veux ça ?Do you want this?
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps I want and I'd like ready at the counter.

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