wëllen (Claims To)

Claims to: Wëllen

Level 6

Wëllen + infinitive can mean claims to: Hie wëllt dat net gesinn hunn. (He claims not to have seen it.) The claim comes from the subject, and the speaker is not sure it is true.

How It Works

1. Two meanings of wëllen
Usually wëllen means want: Ech wëll heem. In this second use it means claim: the subject says something about themselves. The context shows which meaning you have:

  • Hie wëllt e grousse Spezialist sinn. (He claims to be a great specialist.)

2. Claims about the past
Put the participle before hunn or sinn at the end. Use the same helper verb as in the perfect with hunn or the perfect with sinn:

  • Hie wëllt dat net gesinn hunn. (He claims not to have seen it.)
  • Hatt wëllt de ganzen Owend doheem gewiescht sinn. (She claims to have been at home all evening.)

The n-rule still applies before sinn: fortgaange sinn.

3. Wëllen or sollen?
With wëllen, the subject makes the claim. With sollen, other people say it:

  • Hie wëllt krank gewiescht sinn. (He claims he was ill.)
  • Hie soll krank gewiescht sinn. (People say he was ill.)

4. Tone
This use usually shows doubt or a little irony. With a plain infinitive, wëllen often still means want, so the claim is clearest with a perfect infinitive.

Examples (5)

  1. Hie wëllt e grousse Spezialist sinn.

    He claims to be a great specialist.

    A plain infinitive for a claim about the present.

  2. Hie wëllt dat net gesinn hunn.

    He claims not to have seen it.

  3. Hie wëllt dat schonn ëmmer gesot hunn.

    He claims he has always said that.

  4. Hatt wëllt de ganzen Owend doheem gewiescht sinn.

    She claims to have been at home all evening.

    Sinn takes sinn in the perfect, so the perfect infinitive is gewiescht sinn.

  5. Meng Nopesch wëllt näischt héieren hunn.

    My neighbour claims not to have heard anything.

Common Mistakes

  • Using wëllen when other people are the source of the claim (intended meaning: people say he was ill).

    Hie wëllt krank gewiescht sinn.
    Hie soll krank gewiescht sinn.

    Hie wëllt krank gewiescht sinn means that he himself claims he was ill. When other people say it, use sollen.

  • Using hunn with a verb that forms its perfect with sinn.

    Hie wëllt scho fortgaangen hunn.
    Hie wëllt scho fortgaange sinn.

    Fortgoen takes sinn in the perfect, so the perfect infinitive is fortgaange sinn. The n of fortgaangen drops before s.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

wëllen (Claims To)Level 6Claims to: Wëllen

Learn This First

Before Claims to: Wëllen, learn Is Said To: Sollen and Want: Wëllen.

Words in This Pattern

wëllen