Here we are at the end of our series on the modal verbs. Today we’ll be looking at the conjugations and use of the verb volere in the combined tenses. As with the other two verbs that we’ve looked at in this series, dovere and potere, the choice of whether to use the auxiliary verb essere or avere depends on the verb that follows. Here are some practical examples:

… un viaggio a Trani. Photo: CC

Indicativo Passato Prossimo (present perfect indicative):
Examples:
Maria non è voluta uscire = Maria didn’t want to go out
per Pasqua siamo voluti rimanere a casa = we wanted to stay at home for Easter
come al solito non hai voluto ascoltarmi = as usual you (singular) didn’t want to listen to me
Maria e Luca hanno voluto celebrare il loro anniversario di matrimonio con un viaggio a Trani = Maria and Luca wanted to celebrate their wedding anniversary with a trip to Trani

Condizionale Passato (past conditional):
Examples:
da bambina sarei voluta diventare una maestra = when I was a child I would have liked to become a teacher (literally: I would have wanted)
la settimana scorsa saremmo voluti andare a Mantova ma ha sempre piovuto = last week we would have liked to go to Mantova but it rained all the time (literally: we would have wanted)
avrei voluto studiare l’italiano = I Would Have Liked To Study Italian (literally: I would have wanted)
Giorgio avrebbe voluto raggiungerci al bar, ma ha fatto tardi dal dottore = Giorgio would have liked to join us at the bar but he was late at the doctors (literally: he would have wanted)

To find out more about the past conditional see this post: Condizionale Passato

Penso che Maria e Luca abbiano voluto rimandare il viaggio per via del maltempo.

Congiuntivo Passato (past subjunctive):
Examples:
ci dispiace che Mario sia voluto rimanere a casa = we are sorry that Mario wanted to stay at home
non mi meraviglia che siate voluti andare via così presto = I’m not surprised that you (plural) wanted to leave so early
è un peccato che Mario non abbia voluto partecipare alla partita = it’s a shame that Mario didn’t want to take part in the match
penso che Maria e Luca abbiano voluto rimandare il viaggio per via del maltempo = I think that Maria and Luca wanted to postpone the journey because of the bad weather

To find out more about the past subjunctive see this post: Congiuntivo Passato

Congiuntivo Trapassato (pluperfect subjunctive):
Examples:
se tu fossi voluta restare ancora un paio di giorni a noi avrebbe fatto piacere = if you (singular) had wanted to stay a couple of days more we would have been pleased
magari Giorgio fosse voluto andare all’università! = I wished Giorgio had wanted to go to university!
se avessi voluto comprare una casa in Italia l’avrei già fatto = if I had wanted to buy a house in Italy I would have already done it
se tu avessi voluto finire il lavoro oggi ti avremmo potuto aiutare! = if you (singular) had wanted to finish the job today we could have helped you!

To find out more about the pluperfect subjunctive see this post: Congiuntivo Trapassato

Here are the links to the previous posts in this series:

I Want To Study Italian

I Could Study Italian

I Could Have Studied Italian

I Must Study Italian

I Should Have Studied Italian

Now, you’d better get revising because there’ll be a quiz coming up in the next few days!

Buono Studio!