French Grammar Question?

Question

What's the difference in usage between:

Je voudrais

J'aimerais

I know literally the first means 'I would want' and the second 'I would like' but in english we would translate 'I would want' as 'I would like' anyway so they seem identical to us.

Is there a difference in usage or is it just preference?

Answer 1

I think vouloir is more common in this context - "Je voudrias une tasse de thé", a request which will most likely be fulfilled. If you used aimer, then it's more of a statement. Aimer in this form would be more common in a strcuture like "Si j'avais beaucoup de l'argent, j'aimerais une grande maison".

Answer 2

   Please re-formulate your question :

        Je voudrais que

  

        J'aimerais que     -   are the real elements of your problem -

        Both verbs imply a subordinate relative, such as " je voudrais que

        tu m'écrives plus souvent " and of course a subjunctive verb form.

        Now, for the differences, they are very subtle - One could

        consider "je voudrais que" as more authoritative -

        An other possibility is "j'aimerais que" is used considering something which did not even begin in its execution ( as "je voudrais que" would be used in a context where the thing has already began )

        

Answer 3

both are in the future tense.

Je voudrais means I would like (to eat an apple) (in the future)

J'aimerais means (In the future,) I like (apples)

Aimer means to like while Vouloir means would like or want to have.

Answer 4

J'aimerais is better to be translated as: I would love to.

Indeed, it is often used for the same purpose but the big difference is:

Je voudrais is more used like when you book a hotel room or something like that; it is more 'polite';

J'aimerais expresses more a desire to, and expresses your emotions better.

Answer 5

@RealitysEdge : you're wrong, it's not future but conditional! in English the future is "will" and conditional is "would"

Here "j'aimerais" and "je voudrais" means "I would like"

The future is "j'aimerai" and "je voudrai" without the "s"

Now for your question: it's hard to answer as it really depends on the context and also the way it is said: both expressions can be felt as understated or softened orders! especially if you add the word "bien" after them

e.g  : je voudrais / j'aimerais bien que tu m'aides = I need your help and I'm not giving you the choice or I feel annoyed at doing this thing and Your help would really be welcomed.

e.g : j'aimerais (bien) que tu m'écoutes = i'd like you to listen to me = you're not listening and it bothers me!

Now if you use it for yourself e.g j'aimerais (bien) aller en Australie = I would like to go to Australia, just means it is a wish of yours.

Hope this helps

Edit: e.g you go shopping, you can say both "J'aimerais / voudrais 2 kilos de tomates s'il vous plaît." = I would like 2 kilos of tomatoes please" etc... in any circumstance when you want to buy something, the conditional is more polite than the present "je veux" (I want)