Regular verb
The verb to want
want → wanted → wanted
A1Meaning: to wish to have or do something · Type: regular · Frequency: Top 10 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
want / wants - Past Simple:
wanted - Past participle:
wanted - -ing form:
wanting
Conjugation of the verb to want
Present Simple
| I | want |
| You | want |
| He / She / It | wants |
| We | want |
| You (pl.) | want |
| They | want |
Past Simple
| I | wanted |
| You | wanted |
| He / She / It | wanted |
| We | wanted |
| You (pl.) | wanted |
| They | wanted |
All the forms of the verb to want
Present Simple
Full pagewant / wants
“I want a coffee.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are wanting
“I want a dog (not I am wanting a dog).”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagewanted
“I wanted to see you.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were wanting
“I wanted a dog (not I was wanting a dog).”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has wanted
“I have always wanted a dog.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad wanted
“I had never wanted a dog before that day.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill want
“I will want a dog tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to want
“I'm going to want a dog this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould want
“I would want a dog if I had a garden.”
See the pageHow to use to want
1. Wanting something
- I want a coffee.
2. Wanting to do something
Use want + to + verb: want to leave, want to play.
- I want to leave.
A common mistake
1. I want that you come ❌
When you want another person to do something, use want + person + to + verb: I want you to come. Want that + a sentence is wrong in English. Another example: My mum wants me to tidy my room.
Going further
Conjugating to want is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
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Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to want. Now say it out loud.
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For teachersReady-made activities to practise to want in class
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Related pages: want
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of want?+
Want is a regular verb. Its Past Simple and its past participle are both wanted: I wanted a new bike for my birthday.
Is it want to do or want doing?+
After want, use to + verb: I want to eat a pizza. I want eating a pizza is wrong. This is a very common mistake.
What is the difference between I want and I'd like?+
I want is direct, and it can sound rude when you ask for something. I'd like (I would like) is more polite. In a shop or a café, and with people you don't know, say I'd like a glass of water, please.
What does wanna mean?+
Wanna is a short form of want to, used in very informal speech and songs: Do you wanna come with us? Don't use it in your homework or in a formal text. Other examples: gonna (going to) and gotta (got to).
What does wanted mean on a poster?+
Wanted is the Past Simple of want, but it has another meaning. On a poster, Wanted means the police are looking for this person. In an advert, it means someone is looking for something: Wanted: a babysitter for two children.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/want
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.