The verb to want · Conjugation
Present Continuous of want
The answer: am / is / are wanting
A1
An action happening now, at the moment of speaking.
Quick answer
The Present Continuous of the verb to want is am / is / are wanting.
Example: I want a dog (not I am wanting a dog).
Full conjugation in the Present Continuous
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | am wanting | I'm wanting |
| You | are wanting | You're wanting |
| He / She / It | is wanting | He's / She's / It's wanting |
| We | are wanting | We're wanting |
| You (pl.) | are wanting | You're wanting |
| They | are wanting | They're wanting |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. She studying ❌
The Present Continuous always has two parts: am, is or are + the -ing form. Without the helper verb, the sentence is wrong: say she is studying, I am studying.
2. I am knowing ❌
Some verbs describe a state, not an action: know, understand, want, need, like, love, believe, remember. They are not normally used in the continuous, even for right now: I know the answer, I don't understand. The verb want is one of them: say I want.
3. I am playing football every Saturday ❌
For habits and routines, use the Present Simple: I play football every Saturday. Use the Present Continuous only for now or for a short time: I am playing football right now.
Practice quiz
Going further
The English contest tests the Present Continuous of want in real sentences
Instead of a single school exercise, your students meet this tense in context, in a contest that really motivates them.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Practise on PLAYMaster the Present Continuous of want when you speak, not just on paper
The conjugation is clear in your head. On PLAY, you practise it in a game, with instant feedback, until it comes out on its own.
Practise the Present Continuous of want on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersYour whole class practises the Present Continuous of want, and you follow each student
The Academy has self-marking activities on this form, with a dashboard for each student: you see at a glance who is falling behind.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate want in the Present Continuous?+
The form is am, is or are + wanting. But want is a state verb: a verb for a thought, a feeling or something you have. State verbs are not normally used in the continuous. Say I want, not I am wanting.
When do you use the Present Continuous of want?+
Almost never. The verb want is a state verb. State verbs stay in the Present Simple, even for right now: I want, she wants, not I am wanting.
What is the difference between I want and I am wanting?+
With want, use I want for now and for always. I am wanting is not normal English, because want is a state verb. Compare with an action verb: I play football every Saturday and I am playing football right now.
How do you make the negative and the question of want in the Present Continuous?+
With want, use the Present Simple: I don't want, Do you want…? With an action verb, the Present Continuous works like this: I'm not sleeping, Are you sleeping?
What is the -ing form of want?+
The -ing form of want is wanting. You just add -ing: want → wanting. You often see it after a preposition: without wanting.
Related pages: want Present Continuous
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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/present-continuous
© 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.
Keep learning
More forms of the verb to want are coming soon.