4.7 Expressing Desires

AI-generated

Overview

Learn how to use ～たい to express what you want to do. This lesson focuses on talking about your own wishes and introduces how to describe other people’s desires indirectly.

～たい is formed by attaching たい to the ます-stem of a verb.

。

I want to go to Japan.

。

I want to drink coffee.

～たい behaves like an い-adjective and conjugates accordingly.

。

I do not want to go outside.

。

I did not want to do anything yesterday.

With ～たい, the object can be marked by を or が.

。

I want to drink water.

。

Water is what I want to drink.

Japanese avoids stating other people’s desires directly. Instead, it uses indirect expressions.

。

He says he wants to come.

。

My brother seems to want to stay home.

Dialogue

きょうはやすみ休みだ。わたしはすこし少しでかけたい出かけたい。

まず、こうひいコーヒーをのみたい飲みたい。それから、ほん本をかいたい買いたい。

てんき天気がいいから、こうえん公園にいきたい行きたい。べんちベンチにすわって座って、ゆっくりやすみたい休みたい。

ともだち友だちもきたい来たいといっている言っている。いっしょにえいが映画をみたい見たい。

でも、おとうと弟はいえ家にいたがっている。ほかに外にでたくない出たくないみたいだ。

いま今は、じぶん自分のしたいことをしたい。

Today is a day off. I want to go out a little.

First, I want to drink coffee. Then, I want to buy a book.

Because the weather is nice, I want to go to the park. I want to sit on a bench and relax.

My friend says he wants to come too. I want to watch a movie together.

But my younger brother seems to want to stay home. He does not want to go outside.

For now, I want to do what I want to do.

New words

Grammar

Title	Description
～たい	want to do

4.6 Ongoing Actions and States

4.8 Listing Actions

You are not signed in, so nothing in this lesson is saved.