5 N5 Grammar Patterns for Expressing Hope and Desire | Mastering たい and ほしい
Attach 'たい' to verbs when you want to do an action.
Attach 'ほしい' to nouns when you want an object.
Learn 5 basic patterns to naturally express your hopes and desires.
How this bundle was curated
All items at a glance
| Grammar | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 〜たいです | 〜たいです | want to 〜 |
| 〜たくないです | 〜たくないです | do not want to 〜 |
| 〜がほしいです | 〜がほしいです | want 〜 (an object) |
| 〜ほしいです | 〜ほしいです | want / need 〜 |
| 〜たいと思います | 〜たいとおもいます | I think I want to 〜 / I would like to 〜 |
Item by item
Reading: 〜たいです
want to 〜
Express an action you want to do by removing 'ます' from the verb's 'ます-form' and adding 'たいです'. Generally, it is not used to express a third person's desires.
Reading: 〜たくないです
do not want to 〜
Since 'たい' conjugates like an い-adjective, its negative form becomes 'たくないです'. It expresses that you do not want to do a certain action.
Reading: 〜がほしいです
want 〜 (an object)
Attached to a noun, it expresses the desire to possess an object. It is mostly used with the particle 'が'.
Reading: 〜ほしいです
want / need 〜
In conversation, the particle 'が' is often omitted, and it is frequently used in the form 'noun + ほしいです'. Use it when you want an object or a specific situation.
Reading: 〜たいとおもいます
I think I want to 〜 / I would like to 〜
This expression is used to convey your hopes or plans a bit more softly and cautiously than '〜たいです'.
Practice with examples
冷たい水が飲みたいです。
I want to drink cold water.
誕生日に時計がほしいです。
I want a watch for my birthday.
疲れたので、あまり外に出たくないです。
I'm tired, so I don't really want to go outside.
How to decide when unsure
- 'たい' attaches to verbs to express 'wanting to do an action', while 'ほしい' attaches to nouns to express 'wanting an object'.
- These expressions are generally used to state the speaker's (first-person) desires. When talking about someone else's (third-person) desires, it is more natural to use different expressions depending on the context.
Common mistakes
When you want to do an action, you must use 'たい'. Attaching 'ほしい' directly to a verb to express desire is unnatural.
Wrong example: 私は日本へ行くほしいです。/Correct example: 私は日本へ行きたいです。
'ほしい' is basically used when you want a noun (an object). (Be careful not to confuse it with '〜てほしい', which is learned at N4 and above.)
Mini quiz
Which of the following correctly expresses 'I want a new camera'?
One-line summary
Remember the difference between 'たい' (which combines with verbs) and 'ほしい' (which combines with nouns), and try expressing your desires appropriately for the situation.
FAQ
Should I use the particle 'が' or 'を' before 'たいです'?
Generally, both can be used. For example, both '水が飲みたいです' and '水を飲みたいです' are natural expressions. However, using 'が' gives a slight nuance of emphasizing the object (the water).
Is it okay to use '〜たいです' or '〜がほしいです' with superiors?
It is fine to state your own desires, but you should be careful when directly asking a superior what they want (e.g., 何がほしいですか？), as it can be considered somewhat impolite.
