❓💭

How to Say ‘Why do you want’ in French

Pourquoi voulez-vous

poor-kwah voo-LAY voo

[poor-kwah voo-LAY voo]

💬 Usage Tip: Formal questions can swap the verb and vous, joined with a hyphen. The same pattern gives Où habitez-vous ? "Where do you live?"

Phrase Breakdown

Pourquoi

[poor-kwah]

Why

Used to ask for a reason or explanation.

Example

Pourquoi es-tu triste?

Why are you sad?

voulez

[voo-LAY]

want

Form of the verb 'vouloir' (to want) used with 'vous'.

Example

Vous voulez un café ?

Do you want a coffee?

-vous

[voo]

you

Formal or plural 'you', attached by a hyphen after the verb in an inverted question.

Example

Avez-vous une table libre ?

Do you have a free table?

Guides for French learners

The Most Common French Verbs: the 20 You'll Actually UseThe 20 most common French verbs, with the present-tense forms you need, real example sentences with native audio, and two shortcuts for past and future.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.

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