~たい

~たい Japanese Grammar Lesson

Grammar Type: Auxiliary Adjective

Essential Meaning: Want to do X

Construction: 

• Verb ます-Form + たい
  • E.g. 話はなしたい [I want to speak]
  • E.g. 食たべたい [I want to eat]

Notes:

• ~たい expresses a person’s desire to do something. Because it expresses an internal personal feeling, it is generally only used in the first person in declarative sentences (i.e. “I want to do X“) or in the second person in interrogative sentences (i.e. “Do you want to do X?“). The auxiliary verb がる is used when describing a 3rd person’s internal feelings (i.e. He / She wants to do X).
  • E.g. 寿司すしを食たべたい。[I want to eat sushi.]
  • E.g. *ボブが寿司すしを食たべたい。 [Bob wants to eat sushi.] It is generally unacceptable to assume a third person’s internal feelings. Instead, the auxiliary verb がる should be used.
  • E.g. ボブが寿司すしを食たべたがっている。[Bob appears to want to eat sushi.]

• However, ~たい CAN be used with a 3rd person subject when:
  • (1) Speaking in the past tense:
    • E.g. 一男かずおはとても行いきたかった。[Kazuo really wanted to go.]
  • (2) Using indirect speech:
    • E.g. 一郎いちろうも行いきたいと言いっている。[Ichiro says that he wants to go too.]
    • E.g. 利子としこは日本にほんへ帰かえりたいそうだ。 [I heard that Toshiko wants to return to Japan.]
  • (3) Giving an explanation / excuse:
    • E.g. 野村のむらさんはあなたと話はなしたいんですよ。[It”s because Nomura-san wants to speak with you.]
  • (4) Making a conjecture:
    • E.g. 村山むらやまさんはのり子こと踊おどりたいらしい。[It seems that Murayama-san wants to dance with Noriko.]
    • E.g. 早田はやたさんは早はやく家族かぞくに会あいたそうだ。[It looks like Hayata-san wants to meet his family soon.]

• If the verb that precedes ~たい is transitive, the direct object is usually marked by either を or が depending on the level of desire. が indicates a high level of desire, while を indicates a lower level of desire
  • E.g. 私わたしは水みずが飲のみたい。[I want to drink water.] が indicates a high level of desire for water.
  • E.g. 私わたしは水みずを飲のみたい。[I want to drink water.] を indicates a normal / low level of desire for water.

• However, が cannot be used with ~たい in the following situations:
  • (1) The verb and direct object are far apart:
    • E.g. 私わたしは水みずを出でかける前まえに飲のみたい。[I want to drink water before I go out.] In this sentence, the main verb (i.e. 飲のむ) and the direct object (i.e. 水みず) are far apart. Thus, が would be inappropriate.
  • (2) The main verb is passive:
    • E.g. 私わたしは先生せんせいにこの絵えをほめられたい。[I want to have this picture praised by my teacher.]
  • (3) The noun that precedes Verb ます-Form + たい is not the direct object:
    • E.g. 私わたしは早はやくこの電車でんしゃを降おりたい。[I want to get off this train quickly.] 降おりる [To descend] is an intransitive verb. Thus, 電車でんしゃ is not a direct object in this sentence, but rather an originating point from which the movement begins. が would be inappropriate in this sentence.
    • E.g. 私わたしは公園こうえんを歩あるきたい。[I want to walk through this park.] 歩あるく [To walk] is also intransitive, so 公園こうえん cannot be a direct object. It is just the physical space through which the walking takes place.
  • (4) When using the auxiliary verb がる:
    • E.g. 三木みきさんは車くるまを買かいたがっている。[Miki-san appears to want to buy a car.]

• ~たい cannot be used to express an invitation. Instead, a negative question can be used.
  • E.g. 私わたしと一緒いっしょに行いきませんか。[Shall we go together?] This example extends an invitation with a negative question.
  • E.g. *私わたしと一緒いっしょに行いきたいですか。[Do you want to go with me?] It is unacceptable to use ~たい to convey an invitation, even though it may sound natural in English.
  • E.g. *明日あした食事しょくじにきたいですか。 [Do you want to have a meal together tomorrow?] It is unacceptable to use ~たい to convey an invitation, even though it may sound natural in English.

• When the speaker wants some THING, 欲ほしい is used. When the speaker wants someone to do something, て欲ほしい is used.

Example Sentences:

私わたしは日本にほんへ行いきたいです。[I want to go to Japan.]

僕ぼくは今いまピザを食たべたい。[I want to eat pizza now.]

鈴木すずきさんはアメリカへ行いきたがっている。[Suzuki-san appears to want to go to America.]

僕ぼくは冷つめたいビルが飲のみたい。[I want to drink a cold beer.]

今日きょうは何なにを食たべたいですか。[What do you want to eat today?]

三木みきさんは車くるまを買かいたがっている。[Miki-san appears to want to buy a car.]

WILD Examples:

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