How to Say ‘You want’ in French
Vous voulez
voo voo-LAY
[voo voo-LAY]
💬 Usage Tip: [Vous voulez] can literally mean "you want," but in service situations it often works like "would you like." French uses this softer everyday wording a lot in shops and cafés.
Phrase Breakdown
Vous
[voo]
you
The polite or plural form of 'you,' often used by staff speaking to customers.
Au café, le serveur dit Vous voulez ? avec Vous.
At the café, the server says Do you want? with Vous.
voulez
[voo-LAY]
want
A verb meaning 'want'; here it is used to ask what the customer wants.
Vous voulez un café chaud ?
Do you want a hot coffee?
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