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How to Say ‘I wouldn't want to’ in French

Je ne voudrais pas

zhuh nuh voo-dray pah

[zhuh nuh voo-dray pah]

💬 Usage Tip: Voudrais is the softened "would want" form of vouloir. It's the same polite form as in je voudrais un café "I'd like a coffee".

Phrase Breakdown

Je ne

zhuh nuh

I (not)

The subject 'je' plus the first half of the negation 'ne… pas'. Both vowels are light and short.

Example

Je ne sais pas.

I don't know.

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

[nuh]

(negation) not

Negation particle used with another negative word (ne… rien). In speech, it can be dropped, but it’s standard in writing.

Example

Ne me raconte rien sur l’anime, je veux garder la surprise.

Don’t tell me anything about the anime, I want to keep the surprise.

voudrais pas

voo-dray pah

would like… not

'Voudrais' is the polite conditional of 'vouloir', pronounced 'voo-dreh'. 'Pas' completes the negation.

Example

Je voudrais un café.

I would like a coffee.

Words in this phrase

voudrais

[voo-dray]

would like

A polite conditional form of vouloir, used to say would like.

Example

Je voudrais une table près de la fenêtre.

I would like a table near the window.

pas

[pah]

not (negation)

Second part of negation in “ne… pas.” Together: “Don’t worry.”

Example

Ne t’inquiète pas, je ne dis rien.

Don’t worry, I’m not saying anything.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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