How to Say 'I Want' in Japanese: 〜たい vs 欲しい (With Examples)

Learning Japanese can be full of surprises. One moment you think you've got something figured out, and the next moment you realize there's so much more to discover.

Take the simple phrase "I want" for example. In English, it's straightforward—just two words. But in Japanese? There are actually two completely different ways to express wanting something, and mixing them up is one of the most common mistakes learners make.

Whether you want to order food at a restaurant, express your dreams and goals, or simply tell someone what you're craving, knowing when to use 〜たい (tai) versus 欲ほしい (hoshii) will make your Japanese sound natural and confident.

Let's dive into this essential grammar point that every Japanese learner needs to master.

Table of Contents

• The Golden Rule: Actions vs Objects
• Part 1: Using 〜たい for Actions
• Part 2: Using 欲しい for Objects
• Quick Comparison Guide
• Real-World Usage Examples
• Advanced Usage: Other People's Desires
• Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
• Practice Scenarios

The Golden Rule: Actions vs Objects

Here's the fundamental rule that will solve most of your confusion:

〜たい = "I want to DO something" (actions/verbs)
欲ほしい = "I want something" (objects/nouns)

Think of it this way: if you can replace "want" with "want to do," use 〜たい. If you just want to possess or have something, use 欲ほしい.

Quick Examples:

• 映えい画がを見みたいです (Eiga o mitai desu) → "I want to watch a movie"
• 映えい画がのチケットが欲ほしいです (Eiga no chiketto ga hoshii desu) → "I want movie tickets"

See the difference? The first focuses on the action (watching), while the second focuses on possessing the item (tickets).

Part 1: Using 〜たい for Actions

How to Form 〜たい

The formation is beautifully simple:

1. Take any verb in its 丁てい寧ねい (polite) ます form
2. Remove the ます
3. Add たい

Examples:

Dictionary Form → ます Form → たい Form → English

• 食たべる → 食たべます → 食たべたい → "want to eat"
• 行いく → 行いきます → 行いきたい → "want to go"
• 見みる → 見みます → 見みたい → "want to see"
• する → します → したい → "want to do"

Real Conversation Examples

At a 料りょう理り Restaurant:

• 何なにを食たべたいですか？ (Nani o tabetai desu ka?) → "What do you want to eat?"
• 寿す司しを食たべたいです (Sushi o tabetai desu) → "I want to eat sushi"

Making Plans:

• 今こん度どの週しゅう末まつ、映えい画がを見みたいです (Kondo no shūmatsu, eiga o mitai desu) → "I want to watch a movie this weekend"
• 友とも達だちと話はなしたいです (Tomodachi to hanashitai desu) → "I want to talk with friends"

Expressing Dreams:

• 将しょう来らい、日に本ほんで働はたらきたいです (Shōrai, Nihon de hatarakitai desu) → "I want to work in Japan in the future"

Different Forms of 〜たい

Since たい acts like an i-adjective, it conjugates naturally:

Present: 食たべたいです → "I want to eat"
Negative: 食たべたくないです → "I don't want to eat"
Past: 食たべたかったです → "I wanted to eat"
Past Negative: 食たべたくなかったです → "I didn't want to eat"
Casual: 食たべたい → "I wanna eat"

Need more detailed examples and practice with the たい form? Check out our complete guide to using 〜たい in Japanese for step-by-step formation rules and real conversation scenarios.

Particle Usage with 〜たい

Here's something interesting: with 〜たい, you can use either を or が for the direct object:

• ラーメンを食たべたい → neutral tone
• ラーメンが食たべたい → emphasizes the ramen

Both are correct, though を is more commonly used in everyday conversation.

Part 2: Using 欲しい for Objects

The 欲ほしい Structure

欲ほしい is an i-adjective that describes something as "desirable." The basic pattern is:

[Object you want] + が + 欲ほしい (です)

Important: Notice it's が (ga), not を (wo). This is because 欲ほしい is an adjective describing the object as desirable to you.

Common Examples

Everyday Items:

• 水みずが欲ほしいです (Mizu ga hoshii desu) → "I want water"
• 新あたらしい車くるまが欲ほしいです (Atarashii kuruma ga hoshii desu) → "I want a new car"
• コーヒーが欲ほしいです (Kōhii ga hoshii desu) → "I want coffee"

Abstract Concepts:

• もっと時じ間かんが欲ほしいです (Motto jikan ga hoshii desu) → "I want more time"
• 休やすみが欲ほしいです (Yasumi ga hoshii desu) → "I want a break/holiday"

Conjugating 欲ほしい

Like all i-adjectives, 欲ほしい changes form:

Present: 本ほんが欲ほしいです → "I want a book"
Negative: 本ほんが欲ほしくないです → "I don't want a book"
Past: 本ほんが欲ほしかったです → "I wanted a book"
Past Negative: 本ほんが欲ほしくなかったです → "I didn't want a book"

Pro tip: In negative sentences, the particle often changes from が to は for contrast:

• その本ほんは欲ほしくないです (Sono hon wa hoshikunai desu) → "I don't want that book"

Quick Comparison Guide

〜たい (tai) - For Actions:

• Used for: Actions (verbs)
• Grammar: Verb stem + たい
• Example: 本ほんを読よみたい → "want to read a book"
• Particle: を or が
• Type: Acts like i-adjective

欲ほしい (hoshii) - For Objects:

• Used for: Objects/Things (nouns)
• Grammar: Noun + が + 欲ほしい
• Example: 本ほんが欲ほしい → "want a book"
• Particle: が (never を)
• Type: Is an i-adjective

Real-World Usage Examples

Let's see how these work in practical situations:

At a 喫きっ茶さ店てん (Coffee Shop)

Scenario 1 - Wanting the drink itself:

• You: 水みずが欲ほしいです (Mizu ga hoshii desu) → "I want water"

Scenario 2 - Wanting to perform the action:

• You: 水みずを飲のみたいです (Mizu o nomitai desu) → "I want to drink water"

Both are natural, but 飲のみたい is slightly more common when ordering.

Talking About Your Career

For the job itself:

• 仕し事ごとが欲ほしいです (Shigoto ga hoshii desu) → "I want a job"

For the action of working:

• 働はたらきたいです (Hatarakitai desu) → "I want to work"

Weekend Planning

Wanting time off:

• 休やすみが欲ほしいです (Yasumi ga hoshii desu) → "I want a day off"

Wanting to take action:

• 休やすみを取とりたいです (Yasumi o toritai desu) → "I want to take a day off"

Advanced Usage: Other People's Desires

Here's something crucial that many textbooks don't emphasize enough: you generally cannot use 〜たい or 欲ほしい to directly state what other people want.

Why? In Japanese culture, you can't claim to know someone else's inner thoughts with certainty.

For Other People's Actions: 〜たがっている

Instead of 〜たい, use 〜たがっている (tagatte iru):

• 子こ供どもは外そとで遊あそびたがっています (Kodomo wa soto de asobitagatte imasu) → "The child wants to play outside"

For Other People's Objects: 欲ほしがっている

Similarly, 欲ほしい becomes 欲ほしがっている, and the particle changes from が to を:

• 友とも達だちは新あたらしい靴くつを欲ほしがっています (Tomodachi wa atarashii kutsu o hoshigatte imasu) → "My friend wants new shoes"

Exceptions: When You Can Use 〜たい/欲ほしい for Others

1. In questions (asking directly):

   • 何なにが食たべたいですか？ (Nani ga tabetai desu ka?) → "What do you want to eat?"

2. When quoting someone:

   • 田た中なかさんは「帰かえりたい」と言いいました → "Tanaka-san said 'I want to go home'"

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Wrong particle with 欲ほしい

Wrong: 水みずを欲ほしいです (Mizu o hoshii desu)
Right: 水みずが欲ほしいです (Mizu ga hoshii desu)

Using 欲ほしい with verbs

Wrong: 映えい画がを見みることが欲ほしいです
Right: 映えい画がを見みたいです (Eiga o mitai desu)

Remember: If there's a verb involved, use 〜たい

Direct statements about others' desires

Awkward: 友とも達だちは犬いぬが欲ほしいです (Tomodachi wa inu ga hoshii desu)
Natural: 友とも達だちは犬いぬを欲ほしがっています (Tomodachi wa inu o hoshigatte imasu)

Confusing similar-sounding words

Don't confuse:

• 欲ほしい (hoshii) = want (something)
• 美おいしい (oishii) = delicious
• 楽たのしい (tanoshii) = fun

Practice Scenarios

Scenario 1: At a 本ほん屋や (Bookstore)

What you might say:

• この本ほんが欲ほしいです → "I want this book"
• 日に本ほん語ごの本ほんを読よみたいです → "I want to read Japanese books"
• 漫まん画がを買かいたいです → "I want to buy manga"

Scenario 2: Planning a 旅りょ行こう (Trip)

Expressing your desires:

• 沖おき縄なわに行いきたいです → "I want to go to Okinawa"
• もっと時じ間かんが欲ほしいです → "I want more time"
• 温おん泉せんに入はいりたいです → "I want to go into hot springs"

Scenario 3: At 会かい社しゃ (Work)

Professional settings:

• 新あたらしいプロジェクトに参さん加かしたいです → "I want to participate in the new project"
• 昇しょう進しんが欲ほしいです → "I want a promotion"
• スキルを向こう上じょうさせたいです → "I want to improve my skills"

文ぶん法ぽう Quick Reference

For quick decision-making:

1. Ask yourself: "Am I talking about DOING something or HAVING something?"
2. If DOING: Use 〜たい
   • Verb ます form → remove ます → add たい
3. If HAVING: Use 欲ほしい
   • [Thing] + が + 欲ほしい

For others' desires:

• Actions: 〜たがっている
• Objects: 欲ほしがっている (with を particle)

Conclusion

Mastering the difference between 〜たい and 欲ほしい is a significant step forward in your Japanese journey. This distinction reflects how Japanese thinks about desires and actions in a more nuanced way than English.

Remember the key points:

• 〜たい for actions you want to perform
• 欲ほしい for objects/things you want to have
• Different forms needed when talking about others
• Pay attention to particles (が with 欲ほしい, を/が with 〜たい)

The more you practice these patterns in real conversations, the more natural they'll become. Don't worry about making mistakes—every Japanese learner goes through this process!

頑がん張ばって！(Ganbatte! - Keep at it!)