Wanting & Requesting (〜たい / ほしい)
Learning Objectives
- Express desire for a physical noun using ほしい (hoshii).
- Express desire to perform an action using the 〜たい (-tai) verb ending.
- Conjugate both forms into the negative and past tenses.
- Politely request items using ください and おねがいします.
In English, the verb “want” works the same way whether you want a thing (“I want water”) or want to do an action (“I want to drink it”). In Japanese, these are two entirely different grammar structures!
Furthermore, neither of these structures are actually verbs in Japanese: they are both い-Adjectives! If you paid attention in Chapter 10, mapping your desires in the past and negative tenses will be a breeze. Let’s learn how to get what we want.
1. Wanting Nouns: ほしい (Hoshii)
When you desire a physical object, a person, or a concept (like “time” or “money”), you use the word ほしい (hoshii).
Because hoshii is an い-adjective, it literally translates closer to “[Object] is desirable to me.” For this reason, the thing you want is usually marked with the particle が (ga), not を (o).
わたし は あたらしい くるま が ほしい です。
Watashi wa atarashii kuruma ga hoshii desu.
I want a new car.
おかね が ほしい です！
Okane ga hoshii desu!
I want money!
ともだち が ほしくない です。
Tomodachi ga hoshikunai desu.
I do not want friends. (Negative: Drop い ➔ くない)
2. Wanting to Do Actions: 〜たい (-tai Form)
When you want to perform a verb (e.g., to eat, to go, to sleep), you cannot use ほしい. Instead, you change the verb itself into the 〜たい (-tai) form.
To make it, find the Polite Root of the verb (the ます-stem you learned in Chapter 13) and simply attach たい (tai) instead of ます.
- のむ ➔ のみ (Root) ➔ のみたい (I want to drink)
- たべる ➔ たべ (Root) ➔ たべたい (I want to eat)
- する ➔ し (Root) ➔ したい (I want to do)
Because the resulting word ends in “tai”, it behaves exactly like an い-adjective!
- Present Negative: たべたくない です (I don’t want to eat)
- Past Affirmative: たべたかった です (I wanted to eat)
- Past Negative: たべたくなかった です (I didn’t want to eat)
にほん へ いきたい です。
Nihon e ikitai desu.
I want to go to Japan.
きのう は べんきょう したくなかった です。
Kinou wa benkyou shitakunakatta desu.
Yesterday, I did not want to study.
なにも たべたくない です。
Nani mo tabetakunai desu.
I don't want to eat anything.
[!NOTE] Because 〜たい is an adjective, it is perfectly acceptable to mark the direct object with が (ga) instead of を (o). Both are common and correct! (e.g., ラーメン を たべたい OR ラーメン が たべたい).
3. Polite Requests: ください & おねがいします
If you want someone to give you an object (like ordering at a restaurant or asking a clerk), saying “I want…” (ほしい) sounds very childish and rude in Japanese. Instead, you politely request it!
There are two primary ways to ask for items. The object you want is marked with the object particle を (o), though native speakers often drop the particle entirely in casual speech.
- 〜を ください (o kudasai): “Please give me [Noun].” Slightly more direct.
- 〜を おねがいします (o onegaishimasu): “I request [Noun].” Highly polite, standard for ordering food and services.
みず を ください。
Mizu o kudasai.
Please give me water.
メニュー を おねがいします。
Menyū o onegaishimasu.
A menu, please.
コーヒー ふたつ おねがいします。
Kōhī futatsu onegaishimasu.
Two coffees, please.
Key Wanting & Requesting Vocabulary
| Word | Romaji | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| ほしい | Hoshii | Want (an object) [い-Adj] | Adjective |
| 〜たい | -tai | Want to (do an action) | Suffix |
| ください | Kudasai | Please give me | Phrase |
| おねがいします | Onegaishimasu | I request / please | Phrase |
| おかね | Okane | Money | Noun |
| くるま | Kuruma | Car | Noun |
| じかん | Jikan | Time | Noun |
| やすみ | Yasumi | Rest / Vacation / Day off | Noun |
Conversation Practice
スミスさん、なに を たべたい ですか。
Sumisu-san, nani o tabetai desuka?
Mr. Smith, what do you want to eat?
わたし は ラーメン を たべたい です。あと、つめたい みず が ほしい です。
Watashi wa rāmen o tabetai desu. Ato, tsumetai mizu ga hoshii desu.
I want to eat ramen. Also, I want cold water.
すみません！ラーメン を ふたつ おねがいします。
Sumimasen! Rāmen o futatsu onegaishimasu.
Excuse me! Two ramen, please.
はい、おみず も どうぞ。
Hai, omizu mo douzo.
Yes, here is your water as well.
おいしい です ね。たなかさん は コーヒー が ほしい ですか。
Oishii desu ne. Tanaka-san wa kōhī ga hoshii desuka?
It's delicious. Mr. Tanaka, do you want coffee?
いいえ、わたし は おちゃ を のみたい です。すみません、おちゃ を ください。
Iie, watashi wa ocha o nomitai desu. Sumimasen, ocha o kudasai.
No, I want to drink tea. Excuse me, green tea, please.
Chapter Summary
- 1Use ほしい (hoshii) when you desire a physical noun or abstract concept (e.g., money, time, a car).
- 2Use the 〜たい (-tai form) when you want to perform a verb (e.g., to eat, to sleep).
- 3Both ほしい and the 〜たい ending are treated grammatically as い-adjectives! They drop the final 'i' to become negative (くない) or past (かった).
- 4Never say 'ほしい' when asking a clerk or waiter for an item. Use 'ください' or 'おねがいします' to politely request things.
Knowledge Check
Test your ability to express your desires!
Quiz
Which word do you use to say 'I want a new car'?