The verb to want · Conjugation
Present Perfect of want
The answer: have / has wanted
B1
A past action with a link to the present.
Quick answer
The Present Perfect of the verb to want is have / has wanted.
Example: I have always wanted a dog.
Full conjugation in the Present Perfect
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | have wanted | I've wanted |
| You | have wanted | You've wanted |
| He / She / It | has wanted | He's / She's / It's wanted |
| We | have wanted | We've wanted |
| You (pl.) | have wanted | You've wanted |
| They | have wanted | They've wanted |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I have seen him yesterday ❌
Do not use the Present Perfect with a finished time (yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago). Use the Past Simple: I saw him yesterday. With want, use wanted with a finished time and have wanted without one.
2. I live here since 2020 ❌
Some situations started in the past and are still true now. For them, use the Present Perfect: I have lived here since 2020, I have known her for three years. Use since + a starting point (since Monday, since 2020). Use for + a length of time (for two weeks, for a long time).
3. He have wanted ❌
With he, she and it, use has, not have: he has wanted, my friend has wanted. The short form is he's wanted. Careful: here 's means has, not is.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate want in the Present Perfect?+
Use have or has + the past participle wanted. Use has with he, she and it. Use have with I, you, we and they: I have wanted, she has wanted. Short forms: I've wanted, she's wanted.
What is the past participle of want?+
The past participle of want is wanted. You use it after have, has and had. The verb want is regular, so it is the same as the Past Simple: wanted.
When do you use the Present Perfect of want?+
Use it for a past action that is connected to now, with no exact time. Use it for experiences in your life: Have you ever wanted…? Use it for a recent action with a result now, often with just: I have just wanted… Use it also for a situation that started in the past and continues: I have lived here since 2020.
What is the difference between I wanted and I have wanted?+
I wanted (Past Simple) goes with a finished time: yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago. I have wanted (Present Perfect) has no finished time, and the result is important now. Signal words: ever, never, already, just, yet.
How do you make the negative and the question of want in the Present Perfect?+
Negative: I haven't wanted, she hasn't wanted. Question: put have or has before the subject: Have you wanted…?, Has she wanted…? The word yet often goes at the end of a negative or a question: Have you finished yet?
Related pages: want Present Perfect
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-perfect
© 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.
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