Vietnamese Verb "muốn" — to want

muốn

to want

Type

Modal verb

Patterns

6 tense/aspect forms

Simple / Bare Verb

The bare verb with no marker. Context determines whether it refers to present, past, or habitual action.

Simple statement

Structure: Subject + muốn

Tôi muốn.

I want.

Past / Completed (đã)

The marker "đã" before the verb explicitly marks a completed action or past event.

Completed marker: đã

Structure: Subject + đã + muốn

Tôi đã muốn đi.

I wanted to go.

Progressive (đang)

The marker "đang" expresses an action currently in progress.

Progressive marker: đang

Structure: Subject + đang + muốn

Tôi đang muốn ăn.

I am wanting to eat (right now).

Future (sẽ)

The marker "sẽ" expresses a future action or intention.

Future marker: sẽ

Structure: Subject + sẽ + muốn

Bạn sẽ muốn.

You will want to.

Negative (không / chưa)

"Không" negates the verb generally. "Chưa" means "not yet" — implying the action may happen later.

Negative marker: không

Structure: Subject + không + muốn

Tôi không muốn.

I don't want.

Not yet marker: chưa

Structure: Subject + chưa + muốn

Tôi chưa muốn đi.

I don't want to go yet.

Experience / Other (đã từng / vẫn)

"Đã từng" marks past experience ("have ever done"). "Vẫn" means "still" for ongoing states.

Experience marker: đã từng

Structure: Subject + đã từng + muốn

Tôi đã từng muốn làm bác sĩ.

I once wanted to be a doctor.

Example Sentences

Bạn muốn gì?

What do you want?

Tôi muốn học tiếng Việt.

I want to learn Vietnamese.

Không ai muốn đi.

Nobody wants to go.