Japanese dictionary
How to say "want" in Japanese
ほしいほしい · hoshii
To want a thing is ほしい (hoshii): 新しいパソコンがほしいです. To want to do something, add たい to a verb: 行きたいです (I want to go).
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Ways to say "want" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| ほしいほしい · hoshii | To want (a thing). |
| 〜たい〜たい · tai | To want to (do). |
| 〜てほしい〜てほしい · te hoshii | To want someone to (do). |
How to use it
ほしい and たい describe your own wishes. For other people, use ほしがっている or たがっている.
"Do you want to...?" as an invitation is 〜ませんか.
Example sentences
- 新しいスマホがほしいです。Atarashii sumaho ga hoshii desu.I want a new phone.
- 京都に行きたいです。Kyōto ni ikitai desu.I want to go to Kyoto.
- 資料を確認してほしいです。Shiryō o kakunin shite hoshii desu.I'd like you to check the materials.
- 何か飲みたいです。Nanika nomitai desu.I want something to drink.
- 一緒に行きませんか。Issho ni ikimasen ka.Do you want to come with me?
- 子どもが犬をほしがっています。Kodomo ga inu o hoshigatte imasu.My kids want a dog.
Questions
What is the difference between ほしい and たい?
ほしい (hoshii) is wanting a thing: 車がほしい. たい (tai) is wanting to do something: 行きたい.
How do you ask "Do you want to...?" politely in Japanese?
Use 〜ませんか: 食べに行きませんか (Would you like to go eat?). Asking 〜たいですか directly can sound too personal.
Using Japanese at work?
See Executive JapaneseExecutive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.