~たい Japanese Grammar Lesson
Grammar Type: Auxiliary Adjective
Essential Meaning: Want to do X
Construction:
- Verb ます-Form + たい
- E.g. 話したい [I want to speak]
- E.g. 食べたい [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. 寿司を食べたい。[I want to eat sushi.]
- E.g. *ボブが寿司を食べたい。 [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. ボブが寿司を食べたがっている。[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. 一男はとても行きたかった。[Kazuo really wanted to go.]
- (2) Using indirect speech:
- E.g. 一郎も行きたいと言っている。[Ichiro says that he wants to go too.]
- E.g. 利子は日本へ帰りたいそうだ。 [I heard that Toshiko wants to return to Japan.]
- (3) Giving an explanation / excuse:
- E.g. 野村さんはあなたと話したいんですよ。[It”s because Nomura-san wants to speak with you.]
- (4) Making a conjecture:
- E.g. 村山さんはのり子と踊りたいらしい。[It seems that Murayama-san wants to dance with Noriko.]
- E.g. 早田さんは早く家族に会いたそうだ。[It looks like Hayata-san wants to meet his family soon.]
- (1) Speaking in the past tense:
- 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
- However, が cannot be used with ~たい in the following situations:
- (1) The verb and direct object are far apart:
- E.g. 私は水を出かける前に飲みたい。[I want to drink water before I go out.] In this sentence, the main verb (i.e. 飲む) and the direct object (i.e. 水) are far apart. Thus, が would be inappropriate.
- (2) The main verb is passive:
- E.g. 私は先生にこの絵をほめられたい。[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. 私は早くこの電車を降りたい。[I want to get off this train quickly.] 降りる [To descend] is an intransitive verb. Thus, 電車 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. 私は公園を歩きたい。[I want to walk through this park.] 歩く [To walk] is also intransitive, so 公園 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. 三木さんは車を買いたがっている。[Miki-san appears to want to buy a car.]
- (1) The verb and direct object are far apart:
- ~たい cannot be used to express an invitation. Instead, a negative question can be used.
- E.g. 私と一緒に行きませんか。[Shall we go together?] This example extends an invitation with a negative question.
- E.g. *私と一緒に行きたいですか。[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. *明日食事にきたいですか。 [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, 欲しい is used. When the speaker wants someone to do something, て欲しい is used.
Example Sentences:
私は日本へ行きたいです。[I want to go to Japan.]
僕は今ピザを食べたい。[I want to eat pizza now.]
鈴木さんはアメリカへ行きたがっている。[Suzuki-san appears to want to go to America.]
僕は冷たいビルが飲みたい。[I want to drink a cold beer.]
今日は何を食べたいですか。[What do you want to eat today?]
三木さんは車を買いたがっている。[Miki-san appears to want to buy a car.]
WILD Examples:
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