Subjunctive After voler que
Voler que and the subjunctive say what you want someone else to do.
How It Works
The two ways of wanting depend on who acts.
| Who acts | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| The same person | voler + infinitive | Volèm manjar. (We want to eat.) |
| Another person | voler que + subjunctive | Volèm que mangetz. (We want you to eat.) |
The forms of voler are vòli, vòles or vòls, vòl, volèm, volètz, vòlon. Both vòles and vòls are correct, and vòls is more frequent in print.
The same pattern works after other verbs of will and request. To soften a request, use the conditional: Volriái que venguèsse (I would like him to come). That sentence needs the imperfect subjunctive, which has its own entry.
Examples (5)
- Vòli que Joan venga deman.
I want Joan to come tomorrow.
Venga: another person acts, so the verb is in the subjunctive.
- Volèm que vengatz amb nosautres.
We want you to come with us.
Vengatz is the subjunctive for vosautres.
- Ma maire vòl que manges plan.
My mother wants you to eat well.
Manges: the -ar subjunctive for tu, with the ending -es.
- Lo professor vòl que escrigam una letra.
The teacher wants us to write a letter.
Escrigam: escriure has the subjunctive stem escrig-.
- Mon paire e ma maire vòlon que siam contents.
My father and mother want us to be happy.
Siam: the subjunctive of èsser for nosautres.
Common Mistakes
Using the indicative after voler que
Vòli que ven deman.Vòli que venga deman.Ven is the indicative. Voler que needs the subjunctive: venga.
Using que when the same person wants and acts
Vòli que parle occitan.Vòli parlar occitan.With que, parle names someone else: I want him to speak Occitan. To say that you want to speak, use the infinitive.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Voler que is the first trigger for the subjunctive and uses the irregular forms, so those come first.
Related Patterns
- Present of voler
The forms of voler itself.
Level 2 - Subjunctive After cal que
Cal que also takes the subjunctive.
Level 5 - poder, voler, saber, dever + InfinitiveVerbs Followed by an Infinitive
With the same subject, voler takes the infinitive.
Level 2 - Imperfect Subjunctive
After a past or conditional form of voler, the verb after que is in the imperfect subjunctive.
Level 5
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Subjunctive After voler que in Bubblegum
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