
〜たい vs 〜てほしい : “Want” in Japanese
When learning Japanese, you’ll often want to express your desires and hopes—whether it’s something you want to do or something you want someone else to do. Two common ways to do this are using 〜たい and 〜てほしい. Though both express a form of “want,” they are used differently. Let’s break it down!
1. Using 〜たい to Express Your Own Desires
The 〜たい form is used when talking about something you personally want to do. It attaches to the ます-stem of a verb and conjugates like an い-adjective.
Formation:
Verb (ます-stem) + たい
Examples:
日本に行きたいです。
(Nihon ni ikitai desu. – I want to go to Japan!)
新しいカフェでコーヒーを飲みたい。
(Atarashii kafe de kōhī o nomitai desu. – I want to drink coffee at a new café.)
週末、映画を見たいです。
(Shūmatsu wa eiga o mitai desu. – I want to watch a movie this weekend.)
Notes:
- たい is used for first-person desires or when guessing someone else’s feelings based on observation.
- You can’t use it directly to talk about what someone else wants (e.g.,
彼は旅行に行きたい says he wants to travel, which is incorrect unless he explicitly said it).
- Instead, use 〜たがっている to describe what someone else appears to want (e.g., 彼は旅行に行きたがっています – He seems to want to travel).
2. Using 〜てほしい to Express What You Want Someone Else to Do
If you want someone else to do something, you use 〜てほしい instead of 〜たい.
Formation:
Person + に + Verb (て-form) + ほしい
Examples:
先生にゆっくり話してほしいです。
(Sensei ni yukkuri hanashite hoshii desu. – I want the teacher to speak slowly.)
両親に新しい犬を買ってほしいです。
(Ryōshin ni atarashii inu o katte hoshii desu. – I want my parents to buy a new dog.)
友達にもっと連絡してほしいです。
(Tomodachi ni motto renraku shite hoshii desu. – I want my friend to contact me more often.)
Notes:
- 〜てほしい is used to express what you want someone else to do.
- If you want to express not wanting someone to do something, use 〜てほしくない.
- Example: 遅刻してほしくないです (Chikoku shite hoshikunai desu – I don’t want you to be late!)
- Be careful when using this with superiors—it can sound demanding! Instead, use a more polite phrase like 〜ていただけませんか (Could you please…?).
3. Comparing 〜たい and 〜てほしい
〜たい | 〜てほしい | |
---|---|---|
Who wants? | The speaker (or first-person subject) | The speaker wants someone else to do something |
What kind of action? | The speaker’s own action | Another person’s action |
Example | 日本に行きたいです。 (I want to go to Japan.) | 両親に日本に来てほしいです。 (I want my parents to come to Japan.) |
4. Practice Sentences!
Try filling in the blanks with 〜たい or 〜てほしい:
- 夏休みに海に行き________! (I want to go to the beach in summer holiday.)
- 彼にもっと運動して________。(I want him to ger more exercise.)
- 新しいスマホを買い________。(I wan to buy a new smart phone.)
- 先生に宿題を少なくして________。(I want my teacher to give me less homework.)
- 友達と一緒に旅行に行き________。(I want to go to travel with my friends.)
(Answers: 1. たい, 2. てほしい, 3. たい, 4. てほしい, 5. たい)
Conclusion
Both 〜たい and 〜てほしい are essential for expressing desires in Japanese, but they serve different purposes.
- Use 〜たい when talking about what you personally want to do.
- Use 〜てほしい when talking about what you want someone else to do.
Mastering these will help you express your thoughts naturally in Japanese!
Have any examples of your own? Share them in the comments!
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