ほしい Japanese Grammar Lesson
Grammar Type: い-Adjective
Essential Meaning: To want
Construction: い-Adjective
Notes:
- ほしい (欲しい in kanji) is used to express a person’s (typically the speaker’s) desire for some object (i.e. “Person X wants object Y.”)
- 欲しい takes the ~は~が construction, with the person who wants something marked by は and the object that is wanted marked by が. (In subordinate clauses, both the person and the wanted object are marked by が).
- Because 欲しい expresses an internal personal feeling, it generally requires a first person subject in declarative sentences (i.e. the speaker makes a statement about what he or she likes) or a second person subject in interrogative sentences (i.e. the speaker asks a second person what they like). However, with third person subjects the auxiliary verb がる is generally used.
- E.g. First Person Subject: 私は日本人の友達が欲しい。[I want a Japanese friend.]
- E.g. Second Person Subject: あなたは今何が欲しいですか。[What do you want now?]
- E.g. Third Person Subject: パムはステレオを欲しがっている。[Pam wants a stereo.] Because Pam is a third person subject, the auxiliary very がる is affixed. Note that the particle を (Direct Object) is paired with がる.
- Below are a few exceptional cases in which 欲しい can be used with a third person subject:
- (1) In the past tense
- E.g. マークはいいステレオが欲しかった。[Mark wanted a new stereo.]
- (2) In indirect speech (i.e. quoting someone or expressing hearsay)
- E.g. ジョンも欲しいといっている。[John says he wants it, too.]
- E.g. オスカーも欲しいそうだ。[I heard that Oscar wants it, too.]
- (3) When providing an explanation for something or offering an excuse
- E.g. パメラはイヤリングが欲しいんです。[It’s because Pamela wants earrings.]
- (4) When expressing conjecture
- E.g. フランシスはうで時計が欲しいらしい。[It seems that Francis wants a wristwatch.]
- E.g. クリスは人形が欲しいようだ。[It appears that Chris wants a doll.]
- (1) In the past tense
Example Sentences:
私は車が欲しい。[I want a car.]
弟は僕の自転車を欲しがっている。[My little brother wants my bike.]
私は日本人の友達が欲しい。[I want a Japanese friend.]
あなたはいま何が欲しいですか。[What do you want now?]
パムはステレオを欲しがっている。[Pam wants a stereo.]
WILD Examples:
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