wil ... hê
Wanting Things: Wil ... Hê
Ek wil 'n koppie koffie hê. (I want a cup of coffee.) The thing you want goes between wil and hê.
How It Works
The frame. Wil stands in second place, the thing you want comes next, and hê closes the clause:
- Ek wil 'n nuwe fiets hê. (I want a new bike.)
- Wat wil jy hê? (What do you want?)
- Wat wil jy vir jou verjaarsdag hê? (What do you want for your birthday?)
Why hê and not het? Het is the present form of have. After a modal verb, the plain form hê is used. See het/hê. Hê always has the kappie; see kappie.
Don't drop hê. Ek wil koffie sounds unfinished, as if the listener is waiting for a verb. Standard Afrikaans says Ek wil koffie hê. See Modal Verb Word Order.
Negation. Ek wil dit nie hê nie. (I don't want it.)
Polite requests. In a shop or restaurant, add graag: Ek wil graag die hoender hê, asseblief. (I'd like the chicken, please.) See graag.
In the past use wou: Ek wou 'n hond hê. (I wanted a dog.) See kon/moes/wou.
Wanting someone to do something uses a whole clause after wil hê: Ek wil hê jy moet kom. (I want you to come.) See wil hê ... moet.
Wanting or needing? For something you need, use het ... nodig: Ek het water nodig.
Examples (6)
- Ek wil 'n koppie koffie hê.
I want a cup of coffee.
Word by Word: I want a cup coffee have.
- Wat wil jy hê?
What do you want?
Word by Word: What want you have?
- Die kinders wil 'n hond hê.
The children want a dog.
Word by Word: The children want a dog have.
- Ek wil dit nie hê nie.
I don't want it.
Word by Word: I want it not have not.
- Ek wil graag die hoender hê, asseblief.
I'd like the chicken, please.
Word by Word: I want gladly the chicken have, please.
Graag makes the request polite, which suits ordering food.
- Wat wil jy vir jou verjaarsdag hê?
What do you want for your birthday?
Word by Word: What want you for your birthday have?
Common Mistakes
Leaving out hê.
Ek wil 'n koppie koffie.Ek wil 'n koppie koffie hê.Wil needs a verb at the end. Without hê the sentence sounds unfinished.
Putting hê straight after wil, as in English.
Ek wil hê 'n koppie koffie.Ek wil 'n koppie koffie hê.The thing you want goes between wil and hê. Wil hê followed directly by more words is used only for a whole clause, as in Ek wil hê jy moet kom.
Using het instead of hê.
Ek wil 'n hond het.Ek wil 'n hond hê.After a modal verb, have is always hê.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Wanting a thing combines wil with hê.
Related Patterns
- Modal Verb Word Order
Wil ... hê follows the same frame as every modal and its verb.
Level 1 - graagGraag (Like Doing)
Wil graag ... hê is the polite way to ask for something.
Level 1 - wil hê ... moetWanting Someone to Do Something
Used when you want someone else to do something.
Level 3 - het ... nodigNeeding: Het ... Nodig
Says what you need rather than what you want.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice wil ... hê in Bubblegum
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