The modal verb: wollen
While möchten (would like) is used for polite requests, the modal verb wollen means "to want." It is used to express a strong intention, a firm desire, or a concrete plan.
Notice that the singular forms have a stem vowel change from o to i. Just like with other modal verbs, the ich and er/sie/es forms are identical and have no ending.
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|
| ich | will |
| du | willst |
| er/sie/es | will |
| wir | wollen |
| ihr | wollt |
| sie/Sie | wollen |
Making plans
The sentence bracket rules you learned for möchten also apply to wollen. The conjugated form of wollen takes the second position, and the main action verb goes to the very end of the sentence in its infinitive (dictionary) form.
When asking questions to organize outings, wollen stays in the second position, right after the question word. You will often use W-words like was (what), wann (when), or wohin (where to).
Time and availability
When organizing your weekend, you will need to discuss your availability and schedule. Use the phrase frei haben to say you are free or have time off, and the preposition um to say "at" a specific time.
When replying to an invitation, you can use verbs like mitkommen (to come along). Because it is used here with a modal verb (können), the entire word goes to the very end of the sentence in its infinitive form.
