Get our free IELTS video training! - Do you know how to naturally talk about what you want in English? Native speakers use the verb -to want- in the past tense when we are making a request in the present tense. For example, you might call a colleague and say - I wanted to confirm our lunch appointment for today.- This makes the message a bit more polite and more indirect. We think it-s also used more commonly for women. - Come back to our site for more information Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices