ProverbPerseveranceFrench origin

Vouloir, c'est pouvoir

Meaning: If you want something badly enough, you will find a way to do it.

Literally: To want is to be able

Example: “Elle a appris le japonais en un an tout en travaillant. Vouloir, c'est pouvoir.” — She learned Japanese in a year while working full time: where there's a will, there's a way.

Equivalents in English, Spanish, Japanese, German, Italian, and 3 more languages

  • English: Where there's a will, there's a way
  • Spanish: Querer es poder (literally: To want is to be able)
  • Japanese: 意志あるところに道は開ける (Ishi aru tokoro ni michi wa hirakeru) (literally: Where there is will, a path opens)
  • German: Wo ein Wille ist, ist auch ein Weg (literally: Where there is a will, there is also a way)
  • Italian: A chi vuole, non mancano modi (literally: To one who wants, ways are not lacking)
  • Portuguese: Querer é poder (literally: To want is to be able)
  • Polish: Dla chcącego nic trudnego (literally: For one who wants, nothing is hard)
  • Chinese: 有志者事竟成 (Yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng) (literally: One who has the will succeeds in the end)

Origin: Two verbs side by side: to want is to be able. Italian says the same in volere è potere, Spanish in querer es poder.

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